Obsession
by funkyflamingo
Summary: Sweeney Todd was an obsessive, born from an obsession with revenge. But when that revenge was complete and his obsession dead along with it, it left a huge void in his mind - for a new obsession to fill…
1. Chapter 1

_HIYAAAAA!!_

_So as promised on the 30th September at exactly midnight, the sequel to Public Affairs is here!!_

_And I am so angry with this site because, as you have probably found, email alerts aren't working atm so I'm guessing most of you aren't actually going to get to read this until it starts working or if you find it on the site. And although I'm posting dead on midnight I dunno when it's gonna show up. So there goes that plan. Damn it, would have to pick now to bugger up woulnd't it!? Grrr..._

_Anyway. It feels like it's been forever, I have missed you all soooo much!! Of course I've been talking to a lot of you, and seen some of you around Helena-world but still…I've missed all your lovely reviews and posting me chaps and replying to you and everything! It's been weird!_

_Just must quickly say this for anybody who hasn't read Public Affairs - this is a continuation of that story, and I really wouldn't read it unless you__'__ve read that because it probably won__'__t make much sense to you and will seem ridiculously OCC etc - 'cause it__'__s been a long old road for the pair of them to get to the point they are at in this story. _

_However, although a continuation, don't expect another Public Affairs (because hey, what would be the point in that?) Obsession is much darker - or it will be when it gets going a bit - but hopefully better, or at least just as good lol!_

_Now on that point I will put one warning here and one warning only: __**this story will contain mature material and dark subject matters that may not be suitable for younger readers**__. I say this because although this is rated M I know there are some younger people who read PA and will therefore possibly be reading this - I'm not going to say anybody shouldn't, it depends on the person not the age, so I'm just going to ask you to please judge sensibly for yourself. _

_Right I'll say everything else at the end cause I don't wanna keep you all any longer - you've waited plenty long enough as it is! ;)_

_So here we go…I hope you like it!!_

* * *

**_Obsession_**

* * *

Sweeney Todd was an obsessive.

Mrs. Lovett knew this as well as she knew the sky was blue (well, when it wasn't covered by the London smog that was.) It would take a fool not to realise this about the dark man to be blunt; he was an obsessive down to the very last meaning of the word.

Benjamin Barker was an obsessive too - although he would never have admitted it. But Mrs. Lovett knew it; it was always Lucy, Lucy, Lucy and then Johanna, Johanna, my little angel, how wonderful she is, isn't my daughter beautiful Mrs. Lovett?

Now Sweeney Todd she was fairly certain - in fact make that positive - knew he was an obsessive. And what's more, he didn't do anything to try to help this problem - in fact he did the exact opposite and dedicated his life to _feeding _his obsession every little scrap he could find.

Of course it was the judge - _was_ being the key component in that statement. His obsession with the judge - and more specifically the Judge's demise - was one that took over his life and his mind - it was the very essence of what Sweeney Todd had been born from.

But the judge was dead now, dead and gone and Sweeney's obsession along with it. Of course this left the dark barber with something of a void where the obsession had previously resided in his mind. A very large void - and a void that needed to be filled.

The thought had first occurred to Mrs. Lovett about five months ago - four months, three weeks and six days to be precise - the night that Sweeney Todd had told her she was his whole life - along with their son, Jimmy. He'd told her he was truly in love with her and couldn't live without her and of course she was thrilled - he finally felt about her how she had felt about him for as long as she could remember. But there was something in the way he held her that night - in the way he made love to her - it was almost…desperately - possessively.

In fact, when his grip on her small waist had become vice-like as she'd snuggled against him afterwards and she had tried to wriggle free a little, he had clamped his arms tighter around her. And when she'd muttered softly, "let me go love," she could have sworn he'd mumbled back a sleepy, "never."

She had shaken the silly uneasy feeling she'd got that night - this was what she had always wanted wasn't it? Sweeney Todd wanting _her_ more than anything?

Then the squashed feeling bubbled back to the surface a month or so later. Oh it had all been harmless - she'd just been chatting to some chap from the market who'd come in for one of her famous pies she'd offered him when she'd got talking to him over the orange stall on Wednesday. Well, he was stood in her shop conversing with her - about the weather of all things - as she leant on her arms on her counter, agreeing wholly with the fact that it had been ghastly lately, when her husband had strolled in.

"What time's the -" He'd stopped short in the doorway, his dark eyes quickly taking in the very normal and innocent scene in front of him.

"What was that love?"

Sweeney didn't reply, his eyes snapped to hers and she widened her own a little at the livid fury she could see suddenly burning there - she'd straightened with a puzzled frown - but not before she'd noticed his eyes rake pointedly downwards at her ample cleavage - which, she realised, had unintentionally been a little more on show than usual with her position - "Mr. T love, y'alright? Look like ya seen a ghost!"

He'd glared at her, his face livid for a few moments before he suddenly pasted the most sickeningly fake smile on his face, turning back to the man who was looking a little uneasy stood next to the counter -

"Would you care for a shave, sir? I notice you have a little - stubble - there…and seeing as you seem to be providing my wife with such good company - it'll be free of charge." Only somebody who knew him as well as Mrs. Lovett did would be able to notice the deadly threat in the words, they way he slightly stressed the word 'wife', the way his smile was far too pleasant to be real.

She opened her mouth - "Now love, I'm sure Mr. Clark 'as things 'e needs to be getting on with don't ya sir?" She said, only Sweeney would detect the pleading warning in her words.

"Mr. Clark?" Sweeney said, flicking his gaze back to the tall man.

"Well, er - iffen yer offering fer free sir - who am I to turn down a free shave?"

"Of course!" His smile grew wider - and she could see that it was now genuine glee. "Right this way sir!"

Mrs. Lovett opened her mouth to protest but she knew it was no good trying to stop him now without making a show of herself.

"Goodbye ma'am, nice talking with you!" Mr. Clark called as he followed her husband form her shop.

"Bye," she called back, forcing a smile on her face which vanished as soon as he was out of sight.

She'd sizzled all through the dinner rush about it - and Sweeney didn't appear until she had cleared away later that night.

He'd strolled into their bedroom, making her jump by encircling her waist from behind as she did up the ties on her nightgown, growling into her ear, "you're _mine_, Nellie Lovett, I thought you understood that?"

Something about his tone sent shivers down her spine. "What's all this - ya being bloody stupid 'bout nothing - I liked that bloke - why'd you 'ave to -"

"You know damn well why! I know you liked him - and I bet he liked you a whole lot more - I'll bet he especially liked the way you were flaunting yourself in front of him."

"I weren't! I were just chatting to 'im - I weren't thinking like that at all-"

"Well in future you had better think like that hadn't you or a whole lot more of your 'friends' are going to be finding themselves getting free shaves."

"Hey!" She protested, twisted herself in his arms. "Now wait a minute -"

"No - you're _mine_ - that's the end of the discussion." Cutting her annoyed protests off with a deep kiss, he'd pushed her down onto the bed and took her deeply and she'd given in and let him, unable as always to resist his delicious hard body and the way he kissed and touched her so intensely he set her whole body alight.

When he'd made her come hard, gasping his name as she writhed beneath him, he'd growled 'mine' against her neck, his body shuddering violently against her as his own release came, his hands harder than was comfortable, one gripping at her hip as another twisted in her hair.

And since when had he spent so much time hovering around her as she worked? It wasn't like she sat in the corner of his room watching him shave all day - why was he suddenly breathing down her neck as she went about making pastry, grinding meat up and severing her pies out?

In fact it got to the point where it was getting to be a bit of a nuisance. He distracted her constantly with his presence - not to mention what he did when he was around, and she was finding everything was taking a lot longer to get done that it should.

Of course she'd tried to tell him - subtly at first - to let her get on with her work once or twice but after the fight that had led to a week or so ago she'd thought it best to leave him be.

"Love cut it out will ya, I got 'ardly any time to get this all done before we open -" She had protested as he'd placed kisses on the side of her neck, his arms wrapped round her slim waist as she'd stirred a pasty mix in the kitchen.

"Jimmy's sleeping."

"Good." She dumped a load more flour in.

"Well…" He kissed her neck again, letting his tongue flick over her skin suggestively.

"I just told ya I got too much to do before we - can ya stop that!?" She shrugged him off, irritated at his attempts to get her aroused - and the fact they were working.

With an annoyed growl he tore himself away from her, giving her a light shove forwards as he did so - unfortunately she still had the bag of flour in her hand - and as she stumbled a little into the counter it jolted in her hand and went everywhere with a white 'poof'.

"For God's sake! Look what ya made me do!" She snapped at him.

"Well if you weren't being such a _bitch_ it wouldn't have happened."

"Excuse me!?" She gasped, whirling round to face him with her hand son her hips.

"I dunno what's wrong with you lately! It's like you don't want me anymore or something," he spat at her.

She gaped at him. "What!? Where the 'ell as this come from!?"

"You!"

"What are ya on 'bout!? We done it this morning!"

He clenched his jaw, ignoring her sentence. "You keep pushing me away!"

"I'm _busy!_ For fucks sake Sweeney - it's like you can't leave me alone for two minutes these days!"

"And why is that suddenly a bad thing!? There was a time when you were desperate for one minute of my attention - now you don't even want me half the time - !"

"No! I do!" She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself before she spoke in a softer tone. "Sweeney…I absolutely adore that you wanna be all over me all the time you _know_ that - but I don't adore the fact that you do it when I got other things I 'ave to do - you keep distracting me like this an' noting gets done! I 'ave got a business to run ya know!"

He stared at her for a moment before tensing his jaw again. "Fine. I'll leave you to it then." He'd said testily before stalking off.

Of course, it hadn't taken her much to make it up to him later that night, but she'd decided the argument wasn't worth the hassle and just didn't bother to protest when he was soon doing the same thing again, leaving him to it and trying to get on with her work best she could.

Of course, she did love it really, loved that he wanted to be with her so much lately, and that more often than not she seemed to be the sole focus of his attention now but…it was just a little weird. And unlike him. And there was something a tiny bit unsettling with just how clingy he'd steadily got with her lately and something that made her feel a little bit uneasy with it…but she bit it back. She loved him after all.

Yes, Mrs. Lovett knew Sweeney Todd was an obsessive.

And she also knew that his obsession was fast becoming her.

* * *

_That narrative at the beginning and the end kinda sounded like a __'__Desperate Housewives__'__ episode huh? Lol I love that show. _

_And yes, this is set about five months after the end of PA, just in case you didn't quite absorb that. Making Jimmy eight months old. And there are reasons for the slight time jump as well as the fact that I just wanted to move it along a bit. _

_Sooo…how has everybody been? I hope you're all still here lol! It's been a pretty hectic month for me over here…basically I have decided to completely change all my plans I'd originally had for life and I've decided to go to uni next year. So I didn't take that teaching exam I was on about at the end of PA, the one I delayed releasing this for - but I'm still glad I did because I've managed to have some good thinking time and get the whole story basically mapped out - and I've got about a hundred pages of bits written for it so far (I write way too much lol) But yes, I'm gonna go to uni which I have never planned to do because I always thought I wanted to work with horses buuuut I think I'm better off keeping them as a hobby and doing something else I love as a career - and guess what that is? Writing! XD I've decided I want to screenwriting actually (uh - hopefully, gotta get in first lol) So I could be writing movies one day! XD_

_Anyway. Back to the story. You wanna know something? I wrote the first line and first few paragraphs and those last two lines absolutely ages ago. Like even way before he killed the judge when I was writing PA. It popped into my head randomly - originally I thought about including it in PA at some later point but it didn't really fit the story and then I realised recently that I could make a sequel out of the idea. _

_Yeah, anyway. Just thought I'd tell you that __J_

_So of course, I am dying here to know what you all think of this first chapter! I'm so scared about this, I'm literally gonna be sat here biting my nails waiting to hear what you guys think cause I'm so worried you're all gonna hate it, sequels are so dodgy…eek! Sooo…__I am going to be sitting here just, you know, having a nervous breakdown while I wait to hear what you think. So please put me out of my misery and let me know!!_

_And stay right there because I have so much coming your way!! ;) And I will see you all very shortly! (Unless, of course, everybody does hate it lol…) _

_x x x funkyflamingo x x x_

_Here's my replies to the un-signed in reviews for the last chap of PA:_

_Veronica - Aw I'm so glad you liked the ending love - I was crying when it was over too lol! Well it would be amzing if this one did reach as many reviews but I'm pretty sure that's impossible because it's not going to be 76 chapters long like PA lol!! Thank you so much for the review - and every review! Love ya swetie! (huggles) xx_

_Odette - Thank you love, I know a month was a terrible long itme to wait wasn't it? I'm so glad you enjoyed it hun, thank you for every review sweetie, love ya! (hugs) xx_

_Sarah brihene - Aww you were really crying that much? I was crying too L I was sad it was over lol…I'm so glad you liked it so much hun! Thank you swetie, I love you to! XD (huggles) xx_

_Jamie - I fucking love you too hun! Hehe so glad you've enjoyed it - thank you so much - for every review! (huggles) xx_

_S.M Hoffman - Yeah I felt kinda empty when it was over, it was so weird I was writing it for so long…I'm so glad you liked the ending though hun - and I'm glad you like the title obsession…hopefully this /is/ going to eb hardcore and epic lol! ;) Thank you so much for the review - and every lovely review you gave me! Love ya! (hugs)_

_Thea - I'm glad you liked the last few chaps love, especially the ending…thank you so much sweetie - for every review, so glad you enjoyed it! Love ya hun! (hugs)_

_Baby fratelli - Aw the best on here? Wow thank you love! And thank you so much for all you said, I'm so glad you liked it all so much ! XD Love ya sweetie! (huggles)_

_Megan - Haha French excused! ;) I'm so glad you thought so love that makes me very happy to hear! XD Hehe thanks so much for the review! Love ya! (hugs)_

_Tori - So Glad you liked the chap (and the whole story) and you almost cried! Hehe thanks so much hun - for this and every review! Love ya! (hugs)_

_MK - Perfect?? Aww thank you so much love! I'm so glad you liked the ending anf "thank you for being a badass" LMAO! Well you're welcome love! XD Thank you hun for every lovely review, I'm so glad you've enjoyed the story! Love ya! (huggles)_

_Cheyenne - Yay I'm so glad you did love! Thank you so much - for this and every review! Love ya sweetie! (hugs)_

_Lizzy - Aw well I'm so gald you enjoyed the story love, and that you liked the last chapter so much as well! Lol, bless ya leaving two reviews, but your first one was just fine anyway hehe ;) Thank you so much for the reviews! Love ya and happy birthday sweetie!! XD (huggles)_

_Candice Tarver - Thanks so much! I'm so glad to hear you've enjoyed it love! (hugs)_

_Jackie - Thank you so much for your wonderful review love and all the wonderful compliments! I am so glad to hear how much you enjoyed the story, and it means a lot to hear that you think I've managed to keep Sweeney IC whilst changing him believably because that was one of the most important things to me with the story. And I'm honoured that I received your first ever review! Hehe thanks again sweetie and I hope you like this one too! (hugs)_


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello again my darlings!!_

_Well I was absolutely overwhelmed with the response I got for that first chapter! I love all you people so much and I'm so unbelievably happy you all liked it such a lot! Hugs for everyone! Yay!_

_And I'll be getting these out fast as I can for you, I've got quite a lot written already but it does take a good bit of time to reply to you all and stuff so I'll be doing my best ;)_

_Here's chapter two…and I apologise in advance for it's ridiculous length!_

* * *

"This right?" She asked softly.

"That's it. Bit more -" he took her hand in his, guiding it. "There, like that. Now just keep going."

A little frown of concentration was fixed on her pretty face. "S'not working," she muttered after a moment.

"You're not doing it hard enough."

"I don't wanna 'urt you!"

"You won't, just keep going like I showed you, just harder."

After another moment. "It's really 'ard - I can't do it!"

"Come on it's not like you've never done it before at all -"

"It's difficult on someone else! And it's 'ardly the same as -"

He took her hand in his own again. "You're doing fine, just glide, like this. Gently but firmly." His voice was low and soft and their faces were so close she felt his breath on her forehead.

He let go again. "Got it?"

"Hm."

"Not such short strokes."

"Better?"

"Yeah, that's good."

She continued in silence for a few minutes, until - "there!" She said proudly, stepping back to admire her work. Sweeney turned to the mirror, running his hand over his smoothly shaven face. "Good?"

He turned back to face her. "Perfect."

She beamed. "So 'ow bout _I_ do the shaving - and you make the pies?" She joked as she handed his razor back to him.

He rolled his eyes. "Not a chance."

She pouted. "But you said I was good."

"Oh - you are. But Sweeney Todd does not _bake."_

She sighed. "Fine. But will you make _one _pie with me? Just let me show you how -"

"No."

"But I let you show me how to shave -"

"You asked!"

"Alright, alright. But please? Just one?"

"Thought we were going to the market anyway?"

"We are. But it's early we got plenty of time 'fore we go - need to bake a few batches for later anyway." She told him. He scowled at her. "Please?"

Damn woman was pouting again. "No." he said, firmly as he could.

"I'll make it worth your while…"

He narrowed his eyes at her. "With what?"

"Oh - you'll see." She leant up on her tiptoes to whisper teasingly in his ear; "later."

He tutted, sighing heavily. "Fine. I'll bake a damned pie with you. But you _better _make it worth my while." He muttered, strolling from the bathroom so he didn't have to see her triumphant smile. Really, he let her get her own way far too easily.

A little while later as they sat opposite each other, munching contentedly on toast and sipping tea, Mrs. Lovett broke a short silence. "Do you remember when we did it at the market?"

Sweeney blinked at her over the breakfast table. "Where the hell did that come from!?"

"Well, I were just thinking bout what I needed to get from the market today and it popped into me 'ead." She gave a small giggle, propping her chin on her hand "Oooh I was so mad at ya for nearly getting us caught - them people what saw us sure got a shock huh?"

He shook his head but he was failing to suppress the small smirk that was tugging at his lips. "You loved it."

She winked at him. "I always do."

"Bye mum!" Toby called out as he tore suddenly through the kitchen, cutting their chatter short.

"Hey, hey, hey! Where'd ya think you're going!?" She demanded, making him skid to a halt in front of the door.

He turned to look at her a little guiltily. "Well…you and Mr. Todd's off the market ain't ya? Thought I'd pop round and see Freddy…?"

"…Oh."

"That…alright?"

"Um - well actually I were gonna ask you to mind Jimmy while we was gone…"

Toby's brow creased. "But ain't Jimmy going with ya?"

She shook her head. "No love e's tired, 'e wouldn't sleep last night."

Toby looked deflated. "Oh."

"You don't mind do ya dear?"

"Um…n-no. 'Spose not."

Sweeney cleared his throat. "We can take him, he'll be fine. Run along lad."

Mrs. Lovett kicked him under the table.

"Ow - wha -!?"

"No 'e's awful tired, can 'ardly keep 'is eyes open poor thing! I think it be best if 'e don't come."

Sweeney glanced down at Jimmy who was grinning happily up at his mother, dark eyes wide open and staring and he frowned a little.

"Toby, ya don't mind do ya?"

"Er - no, s'alright." He grumbled.

She sighed, looking down at Jimmy feeling a little guilty. "Tell ya what love - why don't you go call on Freddy now, we ain't going for a couple 'o 'ours yet - an' you can invite 'im over 'ere while we're out if ya like - Jimmy should sleep anyway while we're gone and all you gotta do is keep an ear out for 'im?"

For some reason this idea didn't seem at all appealing to Toby at first because he looked unmistakably dejected - but suddenly he smiled up at her and nodded. "Alright mum - I'll - uh - go see 'im now!" And whirling he tore from the shop so fast he nearly bumped into the door before realising it was closed, and wrenching it open he flew out.

Mrs. Lovett blinked and shook her head. "Funny lad, inne?"

"Hmm."

"Poor fella. 'E's finding it 'ard being off the gin. Don't think 'e's getting much sleep." She'd decided a few months back that the lad really was too young to be drinking himself to sleep every night and had proceeded to wean him off the stuff. She'd been doing fairly well actually, and he was down to only being allowed it on Saturday nights now. "Never mind. E'll be fine in time I'm sure." She sighed, getting up from the table to clear up.

It didn't take long after they'd finished breakfast, for Mrs. Lovett to clear the things away and set all the pie-making equipment up. It was something she'd done so often that it seemed to Sweeney like he blinked and she had a batch in the oven already.

"No, no love! You're going about it like a bull in a china shop! I said mix it - not brutalise it!"

"But it's not mixing together - it's all lumpy." He complained darkly, making sure she knew of his annoyance that she'd managed to talk him into this. He scowled at the lumpy pastry mixture and wooden spoon in his hand - how _had_ she talked him into this!?

"It's just cause you put the eggs in all at once, the lumps'll come out, ya just gotta keep mixing. Persistence is the key, not violence dear."

He tutted loudly, frowning back into the bowl and resuming stirring it a little less enthusiastically.

"It's still lumpy." He grumbled after another few minutes, mashing the mix angrily with his spoon. Mrs. Lovett looked up from her own bowl and sighed.

"Alright, come 'ere." She moved over, ducking under his arm to stand between him and the counter, and, much like he'd done when he was showing her how to shave earlier, she took hold of his hand on the spoon, guiding it with her own. He relaxed his arm, letting her move it for him as she showed him how to mix the pastry. "Like this, see - no good pounding it like you was doing, ya just gotta keep stirring it firmly, the lumps'll come out eventually - see?"

"Huh."

She let go but when he didn't continue stirring she tutted and sighed, taking the spoon off him and muttering, "oh you're bloody useless you are."

She hummed an absent tune softly as she mixed the pastry together, firmly teasing all the lumps out, mixing harder as it became more difficult to stir, until it was a smooth dough. Letting go of the spoon she thrust her hands into the bowl, grabbing hold of the dough and kneading it firmly with her knuckles - she paused when she felt Sweeney's breath on her neck, followed by the hot kiss he placed there. She smiled a little, and turned her head to him - when she noticed the expression on his face and suddenly realised that she had been so engrossed in mixing the dough that she hadn't noticed what was now digging into her back.

It was then she realised that mixing and kneading the pasty firmly as she'd been doing, pressed between him and the counter as she was, had been jerking her whole body against his repetitively in a way that put one in mind of far less decent acts.

"Really Mr. T," she teased, although she leaned back into him a little more as he slipped his arms round her small frame. She smiled as he placed heated kisses along her neck and jaw line, and breathed things into her ear that made her heart pound and her face flush.

Extracting a hand from the dough mix, she slipped it round behind her to feel the hard bulge in his trousers, rubbing teasingly at it through the material. His hands bundled her skirts up and one found it's way beneath them, slipping between her legs as her lips parted and eyes fluttered closed.

She turned in his arms, locking her lips onto his, their hands still rubbing each other as they swallowed the other's moans. She broke away and hoisted herself onto the counter, opening her legs to let him step between them and cover her mouth with his once more -

A loud wail broke them apart.

"Damn it!" She cursed, pushing him away so she could hop off the counter. It was then she noticed the smell invading her nostrils - "Shit! The pies are burning! Go see to Jimmy will ya love?"

Sweeney growled in annoyance and frustration but did as she asked, leaving her to grab her cloth and yank the oven open, wafting the smoke away and retrieving the burnt pies, cursing.

The market was packed - it was an unusually pleasant day, chilly, but bright - the kind of bright that let you know that above all that smog there _was _a sun, somewhere.

"What ya think o' this one love?"

Sweeney glanced briefly at the small black hat his wife had perched on her head. "Hmph." Came his usual reply.

"'Course it doesn' really go with this dress but it'll be nice with that new one I bought last week."

He looked at her like she'd said the most stupid thing in the world. "It's a _hat!"_

She tutted. "Yes, it's a hat, and I can't wear a hat that don't match me dress now can I?" She replied tartly, getting a bit annoyed with his blatant impatience and intolerance of her shopping.

"Thought you only had to pick up a few things?"

"This is a few things! Now will ya stop complaining, I'm bloody going on me own next time!" She plonked the hat back on the stand, marching off without it with Sweeney trailing behind her, muttering under his breath.

They strolled along in silence for a few moments as she eyed the different stalls idly until she started chuckling softly to herself.

Sweeney glanced down at her. "What's so funny?"

She looked at him with a little smirk, "Nothing." She said.

He shook his head and looked away. He glanced back down at her after a few moments when he noticed she was still looking at him, an eyebrow raised.

He mirrored her expression. "What?"

She looked away, still smirking a little. "Nothing."

They'd just strolled past the butcher's stand when Sweeney suddenly found himself yanked to the side between two stalls, stumbling into a narrow dark alcove in the wall behind all the stands. "Wha - !?"

"My turn this time!" She breathed into his ear as she pushed him up against the wall, leaning up to cover his mouth with hers and none too subtly slamming a hand down to cup hold of him boldly, leaving no doubt as to just what she had in mind.

"Are you mad woman!?" He hissed, pushing her back a little. "Anyone could see us!"

"Well that didn't stop _you_ last time!"

"At least I had the sense to drag you into an alleyway, we're right in the damn market place!"

"Yeah I know," Her eyes were shining, her mouth laughing as she pressed her body against his. "We're gonna have to be quiet huh?" She breathed.

_Damn woman! _"Quiet…_you_?"

She narrowed her eyes playfully at him but kissed him again; he could feel her grinning against his mouth.

He had to admit, the fact that anybody could catch them here any moment did excite him - and she did look extremely delectable in that fancy low cut dress she had on…

Growling softly as she drew her skirts up, he slipped a hand under - he wasn't all that surprised to find his fingertips grazing a bare thigh. He snorted a little against her neck. "Something tells me you had this planned." He muttered as his hand slid up further and made her gasp.

"Mmm hmm."

He grinned against her neck, nipping the skin there a little, moving his mouth up to kiss her again as his fingers continued to pleasure her.

"Now," she whispered hotly, hooking a stocking-covered leg over his hip.

He withdrew his wet fingers from her to fiddle with his trousers, undoing them hastily and shifting his hips a little. "You're too short." He muttered, irritated.

She tutted and placed her hands on his strong shoulders. Kissing her again quickly, he took hold of her thighs and hoisted her up as she jumped, pushing her back against the wall and entering her in one go as her other leg wrapped round his waist.

They ground together, and pleasure washed over them. She gripped his shoulders hard, digging her nails into the rough material of his coat and trying not to make a sound, the noise around her not letting her forget that they were just behind a stall in a very busy market.

Sweeney's mouth fell to her neck, his lust and arousal for her heightened by their scandalous situation.

She let out a small sound.

"Shhh."

Another little squeak escaped her as he thrust deep again and she clutched at his back.

"Be quiet!" His voice rumbled quietly but gruffly in her ear.

"Mmm!"

"Nellie!"

"Can't - ah - can't 'elp it!" She breathed.

"You never can."

She panted heavily through his next few thrusts until she felt her pleasure and her climax start to build - another soft moan came from deep in her throat.

He stopped moving suddenly.

"For _once_ in your bloody life will you just be _silent!" _He hissed suddenly. Her eyes widened and she nodded mutely. "Good." And he thrust again - harder than before and her mouth opened with the gasp that escaped it.

She breathed heavily in time with his thrusts, her breaths coming out hoarsely where her moans were being suppressed until they climaxed together and she cried his name out silently as he breathed hers into her ear.

Far too many people caught them slipping back into the crowd from behind the stalls, hands linked and faces flushed. Mrs. Lovett was sure she must have looked as flustered and dishevelled as she felt. And by the dirty looks people were shooting their way she was right.

Trying not to grin, Sweeney averted his gaze as he caught sight of another woman staring at them, muttering quickly to her companion, their faces appalled. He glanced at his wife to see she had noticed them too - and to Sweeney's surprise, she laughed. She leant up to speak into his ear, "They know what we've been do-ing…" she sang through her grin, her voice low.

He couldn't prevent the smirk that found its way onto his lips now. She was far too horribly adorable sometimes.

"Hmm," he replied, speaking low into her own ear as they walked, "they know you're a naughty girl, Nellie Lovett."

She shot a wink at him and squeezed his hand. Realising then that she still had hold of his hand he pulled it quickly away, clearing his throat and offering his arm to her properly.

She ignored it and grabbed his hand again, linking her fingers tightly through his. "I don't care." She told him firmly and happily.

Later that night she had never been gladder to get into bed - she swore they were busier every night, and with parading round the market all morning - and working down in the bake house for a good two hours after they'd closed, she was exhausted. And this was just what she needed.

"Mmmm feels so good love," she purred softly, her eyes closed in bliss.

He was knelt over her, legs either side of her naked body which was covered only partly in a bed sheet. He smirked a little at her words, leaning forward to run his hands firmly up her back again, kneading the soft flesh on her shoulder blades, sliding them up to massage her shoulders and neck a little. She let out another pleasure-filled moan.

Oh she was _so _glad she'd complained to her husband about how much her back was hurting her lately, and especially today after she'd done it in hauling that damn body onto the table yesterday.

He was kneading at her lower back now where she had the pain, skilfully and firmly working his knuckles into the knots she had there, teasing them out gently. He spread his hands out to rub his palms into the small of her back, his fingers firmly massaging into her sides.

"Uhhh," she groaned. "This is almost as good as sex."

He chuckled softly at that, bending to place a lingering kiss on her shoulder.

"Hmm," she hummed happily, smiling contentedly. "You're really good at that ya know love."

"Hm." He agreed, pressing his palms into her sore back, easing the tension bit by bit. "Better?" He muttered after a few more minutes.

"Yeah…" she breathed, before saying quickly, "um no, actually still 'urts a bit."

Sweeney chuckled a little. "Oh does it now?"

"Mm, yeah. I'm in agony, all over. Better keep going. Actually me 'ole body aches now I come to mention it."

Sweeney smirked a little, although she couldn't see it. "Well in that case…" He ran his hands up her sides an slipped them round underneath her, running them over her stomach and up over her breasts, squeezing them gently and briefly as he did so, making her arch up a little off the bed and draw in a sharp breath. He slipped his hands back down and round her sides again, briefly massaging the soft skin there before rubbing them firmly up her back again. They glided over the back of her neck, sweeping her hair to the side before he ran them firmly up her arms and back down again, sliding them once more down her sides while all the while she sighed and purred in pleasure.

Inevitably, this all ended with them writhing together, moaning and sighing their pleasure out of open mouths with him pressed up against her back, their bodies joined in the most intimate way.

When he rolled off her onto his side afterwards without letting her go, instead pulling her tight to him, his arms locked firmly round her and he placed a kiss to her neck. Her arms came to rest on his, as his thumb traced absent circles on her skin, and she allowed herself a small smile. Who knew that the man who spent his days casually slitting the throats of his unsuspecting customers would like to cuddle so much?

She felt so content in his arms at that moment, it felt so peaceful and right - so much so that she was even able to imagine that they were a simple normal married couple, with a nice respectable, normal business and splendidly un-eventful past lives leading up to this point.

Of course, Sweeney just had to ruin her little fantasy after several quiet minutes.

"Who else did you kill?" He asked her suddenly out of nowhere.

She twisted her neck to try and stare at him. "Sorry!?"

"Ages ago when you told me about…that man. You said you killed three people. Who were the other two?"

"Talk about out of the blue," she muttered.

"I was just thinking. And I'm curious. Who did you kill?"

She sighed heavily, turning her head away from his dark eyes. "Well one was…a bloke what…'e tried to force 'imself on me. It was in the shop at night when it were empty as usual. Luckily the idiot bent me over me counter - I grabbed me carving knife off it and stabbed the bastard."

Sweeney didn't reply to that, just accepted it, saying, "And the other one?"

She shifted. "Me brother."

Sweeney thought he had misheard the whisper and had to ask her to repeat it. She turned to look into his face; shock was blatant on it. "Why?"

"Because 'e…" she blew out through her mouth, forcing herself to detach herself from the pain digging these memories up always brought. "'E killed me mother."

Sweeney leant up, staring at her with wide eyes.

She looked away from his burning gaze. "I were sixteen. Never saw it but…I know it were 'im. With me father long gone 'e wanted the 'ouse and money see - me mum run a baker shop too ya know, but that were gone and sold by then, and we thought the money to be all safe, ready to give to us when she were gone. 'E was a selfish bastard, me brother, never did get on with 'im. Anyway, I know 'e killed 'er, poisoned 'er, she died an 'orrible death. 'E good as admitted it afterwards anyway, told me I should be happy she were gone, I got 'alf didn't I?"

She turned her head to glance at Sweeney too see him staring intently at her and she looked away again, continuing with a heavy sigh. "Well, I took it upon meself to punish 'im for what e'd done. Poisoned 'is drink I did, thought it were fitting. Watched 'im die. Turns out there weren't no money anyway, lord knows what she done with it but there wasn't a penny left from the shop - and the 'ouse was falling down, what little I got from it didn't last long."

Sweeney was silent to that for a few long moments. " I didn't know you even had a brother."

"No. You wouldn't."

He thought for a moment. How much more didn't he know about her? It seemed he thought he knew all there was to know about his wife (he had thought _that _when he'd thought her nothing more than the simple baker woman who wore her emotions on her sleeve) and then she'd come out with or do something else that would surprise him and he'd realise once again that there was much more to her than met the eye.

A bad feeling ran through him. He didn't like it.

He wanted to be able to think he knew her, inside and out, everything there was to know about her. He loved the woman, (and she loved him) he bloody well should. He was pretty sure she knew everything important about him after all.

"There's so much I don't know about you." He muttered, unable to keep the slight bitterness from his voice.

"Yeah." She said softly. Then after a moment. "I'd rather you didn't. Me past's me past. You're me present. And me future. This is all that matters now." She told him firmly, shuffling round to snuggle into him.

Sweeney's lips parted slightly as those words sunk in. She was right. The past was gone now. "Yes. What's dead…is dead."

She turned her head to look at him, her eyes wide. _Not if you knew why__…_

She swallowed hard, forcing a sad smile onto her face. "Yeah. Dead…"

He leant over to kiss her and she kissed him back, squeezing her eyes shut, wishing she could focus on his mouth on hers instead of the damned thoughts that had now filled her head. When he pulled back from her and settled down, squeezing her a little before shifting to get comfortable and lying still, she wished he had continued so she could distract herself, but couldn't bring herself to initiate it again herself. She lay, eyes wide open in the dark, held tight against his warm body as worry ate her up.

Not to be misinterpreted - she didn't regret pushing his oh-so-virtuous-turned-whore of a wife down her bake house stairs, oh no, far from it - there was no guilt among her feelings; she'd do it again in a heartbeat. What was torturing her was the worry that Sweeney would ever find out. She wasn't even sure if he would kill her anymore like she'd originally assumed but…she knew it would kill _him_. He loved her, truly, deeply - he'd told her as much - what would it do to him to find out the woman he thought he was in love now with had killed the other woman he had still been in love with at the time?

How could he love her after he found that out? He wouldn't, he'd be hurt beyond belief, beyond repair - hell - he hadn't even thought she could _kill _- let alone that she would ever do anything like that.

She made the firm and serious decision then that he could never find out. He wouldn't. How could he; she was the only one who knew of course - and she vowed then as she lay by his side in the darkness, that she would never, ever tell him.

* * *

_Dear God I ramble on don't I! This is too bloody long, especially for a second chapter I know that. It was going to be two chaps but I just changed my mind before I posted and decided to merge them and cut it down because otherwise it would be seeming kinda slow to be getting going. You wouldn't believe I've cut about four pages of crap from this already would you!? Lmao well never mind._

_Now even though I think I said it again the beginning I would just like to reiterate how much I love you all. You actually make my life. No, I'm serious. I just hope you're all gonna like the rest of this little story as much as you did the first chap!_

_Replies to un-signed in reviews:_

_Sarah Brihene - So, I'm guessing you're excited huh? Haha I love ya hun XD thank you!! (huggles)_

_BulletForMyValentineFan! - Thank you so much love! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed PA and liked this first chap so much! You're from Ireland that's so cool I love Ireland my family come from there J Thanks again hun hope you enjoy whats to come as well! ;) (hugs)_

_ambrosiabb - I'm very glad you think so love! Thanks so much for the review love ya! (hugs)_

_Jml - Thank you very much, I'm happy to hear you liked PA, and I'm glad you like this so far too! (hugs)_

_Megan - I'm glad you like it hun! Thanks so much! (huggles)_

_Lizzy - Well I'm very happy to hear so love, one of the best presents you got, really? XD Thanks so much, I'm so glad you liked it so much hun! Love ya (huggles)_

_Twitch - Well I'm glad you decided to review love, it's great to know you've been reading and have enjoyed PA all the way through! J I'm happy you like this first chap! And yes I will be sure to tell you all if I ever do end up writing movies some day! ;) Thank you so much love! (hugs)_

_Veronica - Yup at last huh? Hehe thank you hun I am very glad you liked it, and don't worry I fully intend to maintain my reputation for quick updates best I can hehe ;) Love ya hun! (huggles)_

_Karen Roberson - Lmaoo you did sound kinda drunk haha I'm so glad my story's got ya that excited! XD I'm so glad you liked the first chap love thanks so much! And you and your twins lmao! Love ya hun! (hugs)_

_Sherily - Lol well that's a good thing that you forgot about it all day then? Hehe thank you love glad you liked it! (huggles)_

_S.M Hoffman - No, you're excited, really!? Hehe ;) So glad you liked it hun! You think you're gonna like it more that PA to? Well that's just great hehe XD Eek you had the hurricane near you?? Gosh I hope you're all okay over there, must be terrifying…:S Thanks so much for the lovely review hun! Love ya (huggles)_

_Depp-Sweeney Obsession - haha Sweeney's definitely got some issues, I think that's about the understatement of the century huh!? Lmao! Yes the saying 'be careful what you wish for' certainly applies here doesn't it. And yeah Sweeney said both her and Jimmy were his life because it goes without saying, they're his family, but although he loves Jimmy his obsession lies with her alone ;) Anyway thanks so much for the review love, so glad you liked the first chap! Love ya (hugs)_

_Odette - Aww I'm sorry for making you wait so long it was a bit cruel wasn't it? Thank you so much love, I'm glad you liked it haha yeah he is kinda cute all possive - in a crazed murderer sort of way huh!? Lmao. Thanks so much love ya!! (huggles)_

_Thea - I'm very glad you liked how this started, lol yes Sweeny is kinda meant to be pretty scary LOL Thanks very much love! (hugs)_

_Cheyenne - Aw no it doesn't sound stupid I'm glad to know you missed it so much love! Sorry for the terribly long wait! I'm so glad you liked this, and that you think it's gonna be better than PA, I sure as hell am gonna try lol. Yes darker indeed, I'm glad that shows already and you're right, with Sweeney dark can only be a good thing huh? ;) Yes you're reviews are pretty long! Lol I love them hehe thank you so much hun! Love ya! (huggles)_


	3. Chapter 3

_Right quickly now cause it's horribly late and I have to get up horribly early for work in the morning._

_Thank you for the wonderfulness of your reviews my darlings. Love love love to you all._

_And this chapter shall be dedicated to all those fools on hw who have been distracting me from updating this all night (although amusing me greatly in the process.)_

* * *

It was a funny sort of Monday. Mrs. Lovett had started off the day all in a tizzy because she'd forgotten to see to the body that was down there last night, and had dragged Sweeney down to the bake house when he'd barely woken up to help her with it. It set her back a good hour - and then she burnt their breakfast because she was rushing so much and scolded Toby so harshly when he dropped the jar of jam on the kitchen floor that he'd nearly ended up in tears.

Sweeney followed her back down to the bake house after a disastrous breakfast, she assumed to help although there really wasn't much point as she was only filling pies and putting them in to bake so there wasn't anything for him to do. Consequently, he found other ways to amuse himself - ways that on that particularly hectic morning, did _not_ amuse her.

After she'd batted him off the third time and sworn at him, he'd stormed angrily form the bake house, muttering and door-slamming and left her to her damn precious pies.

His feet made heavy clunks on the stairs as he ascended them and his door rattled in it's frame when he slammed it shut behind him.

He sizzled with annoyance at how she'd pushed him away. The damn woman was his _wife_, was he not allowed to take pleasure in that fact now and then? Too busy. She was always too damn busy.

She wasn't too busy to talk to Toby, he noticed. She'd hurried back upstairs after five minutes, muttering about going to apologise for being so sharp with him and she'd stayed up there a good ten minutes. So she had time to talk to Toby but didn't have time to have sex with her husband? That could have taken less than ten minutes anyway if she'd wished. She was obligated to, as far as he was concerned; she'd dragged him out of their bedroom and down to the bake house as soon as he was awake without so much as a kiss that morning - and they always did it in the morning.

That bloody boy. He admitted the brat did come in handy at times, particularly for baby-sitting duties, but generally he annoyed the hell out of him. And she never went and apologised to _him_ when she snapped at him after five minutes. No, let the husband suffer but heaven forbid the boy should be upset!

Muttering under his breath, Sweeney decided thinking of her was making him angry and irritated at the moment, so he would think of something else.

He thought.

_Damn it - _why was _she _all that filled his mind!? When had this happened? When had it grown on him? He didn't remember it happening, all he knew was that now, it seemed she was all he could ever think about.

What else was there to think about, really? He spared the odd casual thought for his business, he supposed, now and then. The irony of how they made their living still amused greatly himwhen he thought about that. And of course he thought about their son - but that would lead to her. And once he started thinking about her she just wouldn't leave his head.

It baffled him to some extent, because he had her for himself, whenever he wanted, in every sense of the word. she was his more than he even had a right to ask for - but this only made his feelings intensify. It just didn't make sense. It was never like this was Lucy…

Of course _he _was never like this with Lucy. But Benjamin loved the woman, deeply, and he did admit that perhaps his infatuation with her did lean just a little towards the unhealthy side - but never like this. She didn't dominate his every thought and feeling, he wasn't near incapable of taking his eyes off her when she was in the same room as him - nor feel a strange sense of emptiness when he was apart from her. Not to mention fiercely powerful feelings of hatred towards any other man who looked at her. He'd killed three men in far less than pleasant ways last week because he'd watched each of them dare to rake their eyes over his wife's fine form as she served them pies and chat to her a little too familiarly. She'd been awful cross with all the blood, she'd even threatened to make him 'wash his own bloody clothes if he thought slaughtering people so brutality was necessary.'

He was interrupted suddenly from his thoughts (was that a good thing or not?) by a cautious tap on the door.

"Mr. Todd sir?"

"What is it?"

Toby pushed the door open. "It's Jimmy sir - would ya be able to watch him? Only I gots get on wi' cleaning the shop - and 'e won't stay in one place…"

"Yes, fine." Sweeney rose and took his wriggling son from the grateful boy's arms who thanked him and scampered off. He set him down on the floor when he winged and struggled, sighing a little. He was starting to become a bit of a handful lately. His poor wife had been pulling her hair out since their son had started crawling a couple of weeks ago. No more just setting him down on the settee and bustling off to do something because she'd come back and he'd be across the room and into all the fireplace instruments - or something else he shouldn't be. She'd told him in exasperation yesterday how he'd got hold of a gin bottle when Toby had left it on the floor - she thanked heaven the cap had been screwed on tight. He heard Toby still got a good chiding for that though.

No good telling her to relax, she wouldn't listen. He had to remind himself that this was her first child after all; she worried about everything. It was funny, if he'd thought about it beforehand, he would have assumed her to be the laid-back kind of mother, for that was her general nature. He probably would have thought her to be the kind of mother who would give a sigh and a 'that'll teach him' when her child ran too fast and fell over - but now he was pretty certain she'd be dragging him off the floor having panic attacks, checking every inch of him for damage. He supposed this was partly to do with how close they'd come to loosing him those months ago - although maybe it also had something to do with how desperately she had wanted Jimmy. All her life, she'd said.

Sweeney sighed and made his way over to the small table, beginning to pull things out of the drawers and set them up on the table. Business as usual today.

A small whine came from the floor by his feet.

"Daddy's busy Jimmy, you can stay there." He told him firmly as he poured some cream out of the bottle into the little bowl.

Jimmy whined again, his little voice becoming impatient and Sweeney sighed. Damn woman gave him far too much attention. He glanced around the room, looking for something to amuse him with.

"Here, play with this. See, shiny look. That's nice isn't it?" He ruffled his small tuft of dark hair and left him sat on the floor staring wide eyed and mesmerised at the razor he'd put in his hands. His wife would have his head for that but she wasn't to know - and it wasn't like he could open it anyway.

He wandered over to the chest in the corner of the room to fish out the sheets when he froze at the sound of a click -

"Oh shit!" He tore across the room and grabbed he razor off Jimmy just as the door burst open with a gasp -

"_Sweeney Todd!"_

He winced, whirling guiltily to face his wife, open razor in hand.

"What - what the _bloody 'ell _do ya think you're doing - you - ya gave Jimmy a bloody _razor_ -!?" She spluttered. "What in 'ell is wrong with you!?"

"I didn't think he'd be able to _open it _-"

"You bloody stupid man! And swearing in front of 'im - do ya know 'ow much they pick up at this age!?"

He decided it wise not to comment on the hypocrisy of that sentence, instead opting for, "oh come on, he's not going to start talking for at least another few months yet - if that -"

"But they still pick up what's being said around them - an' I will not 'ave the first word coming out of 'is mouth being a bad one!"

They glared each other down for a moment before she broke the gaze with an irritated huff and made her way over to scoop Jimmy up off the floor, turning to leave the room with him.

"Where are you going?"

She gave him a funny look. "Downstairs…" She said, as if it were obvious. "I 'ave got a business to get open ya know." She turned to go again.

"Wait."

"What?" She watched him walk towards her, looking at him a little suspiciously. "What do you want love I gotta get on…"

He stopped before her and leant into her, lifting a hand to cup the back of her neck and pressing his lips firmly to hers. She relaxed against the kiss briefly but when he pushed his tongue into her mouth she made a sound of protest, pulling her head back from his.

"Love…Jimmy?" She said, glancing down pointedly at their child who was nestled in her arms between them.

"Huh." Sweeney grunted, put out. "See you later then."

Mrs. Lovett started to feel a little bad as the day went on and she served out countless pies with a smile. Poor Sweeney, she had been a bit off with him that morning - after all, it wasn't his fault she'd forgotten to get the body done last night (well, actually, she supposed she could put the blame on him for that one but that was besides the point) and she _had _snapped at him a bit with the whole Jimmy incident. Although, she was really quite annoyed with him for thinking giving a razor to an eight month old to play with was a good idea. She sighed. Well, she supposed with a sigh, things like that happen when you were married to a homicidal barber.

Well anyway. She'd made it up to him splendidly when she'd brought him up his dinner before the rush hit her little shop, and it appeared, as he smirked at her when he caught her looking at him as he was slipping his waistcoat and shirt off that night, he'd considered it very much made up too.

There was something else that had been nagging at her all day - well, for a while now actually but she'd been thinking about it a lot that day. She had been going to keep quiet about it to see if he remembered - and secretly because she had the tiniest romantic hope that he had bought her something lovely…but practically she knew there was no way in hell he would remember unless she reminded him - so she decided to mention it.

"Mr. T do ya know what this Sunday is?" She asked him, rolling onto her stomach to look at him when he slipped into bed beside her.

"No, what?" He grunted.

"Think."

He frowned at her for a few moments. "What is it?"

"What date is it…?" She prompted.

"March sometime - I dunno - what?"

"Yes, March," she said, getting a little irritable. "And what 'appened in March?"

He blinked blankly.

"What 'appened in March last year??"

Still, a blank expression.

She huffed loudly, frowning down at him. "This weekend - a year ago in March, what 'appened?"

"I don't know, Toby's birthday or something?"

She scowled at him. "Well if you can't even bloody remember I ain't gonna tell ya!" She snapped, flopping down and turning her head away from him with a loud huff.

There was silence for a few moments before she felt his grinning mouth on her neck - she shrugged sulkily away from the kiss he placed there until -

"I do…"

She jumped, whipping her head back round, her face suddenly alight.

"You _do _remember!"

"Of course I remember you daft woman."

She didn't even mind that he'd been winding her up because she was so giddily ecstatic that he'd hadn't forgotten after all.

"We've been married a whole year," she told him in wonder when she pulled back from his kiss.

"Well, technically, according to the certificate, we've been married a year and four months and already missed our anniversary."

She smacked him on the arm. "I don't care what it says - this Sunday it's gonna be a year to the day that I became Mrs. Todd."

"And technically, you're still Mrs. Lov -"

"Stop it! I don't care about technically - I'm your wife, that's all that matters to me." She told him happily. She placed another chaste kiss on his mouth before turning over and shifting backwards, settling herself comfortably in his arms as he rolled onto his side and they wrapped easily round her.

She sighed peacefully. "We should do something."

"Mmmm," he agreed, "you wanna go on top or shall I?"

She rolled her eyes, pinching his arm lightly. "You know what I mean - we should so something for our anniversary on Sunday."

He was quiet for a moment. "Yes." He finally said, a little hesitantly.

"What shall we do? Go out for a meal or something? Or we could go up to the park for the day, just me and you - or both…?"

Another short silence before finally he placed a kiss on her shoulder. "You'll see."

She twisted in his arms a little to look at him. "I'll see? What…oh! Y'ave something planned!?"

He sighed heavily, tutting a little, turning her back round. "You'll see."

"Oh Sweeney! What is it?"

"You. Will. See." He growled. "Quit it with the questions, damn woman. S'posed to be a surprise." He grumbled the last part irritably.

"Aw Mr. T! I can't believe ya even remembered! What are we doing, please tell me!" She asked him excitedly.

"What part of 'surprise' don't you understand?"

"Oh…fine. It's gonna kill me all week now though!"

"Forget about it."

"'Ow can I!?"

"Let me help you…"

She felt his lips touch her shoulder again and smiled happily. She shivered a little as his kisses trailed along her shoulder to the side of her neck and she sighed, slipping her hand over one of his wrapped round her waist, sliding her fingers through his and gripping it tight.

"I'm still thinking 'bout it…" She quirked.

"You won't be in a minute." He ran his free hand down her side, sliding it under her nightgown and dragging it back up as his hand glided over her bare skin. She lifted herself up a little, raising her arms up to let him pull it off her and toss it aside, his hands immediately returning to caress every inch of her soft skin.

"Still thinking…" she breathed out.

He growled softly and his arms left her for a moment and she whimpered before she heard him undoing his trousers and felt him pull them off, hearing a soft thud on the floor seconds after. Then he was wrapped round her again, pulling her as tight to him as he could, taking her small hand in his own again.

His other hand ran down her side and slid round her hips and she let out a little sound as it dipped between her legs -

"Thinking about it now?"

"'Bout what?" She breathed, her body burning from his touch and mind clouded with lust.

He grinned against her neck. "There's a good girl." And he shifted behind her, leaning heavily into her, pushing her half onto her stomach as he slid inside her - and she flung her hand out, gripping hold of the bed sheets, her other still held tightly in his.

* * *

_Again with the bloody fluff! BAH! Stop it! :bangs head repeatedly on desk: Phew. That's better. I know some of you won't complain but for those of you who share my opinion on the matter, I'm really sorry, it just slips out!!_

_Sorry if this sucks and is too short but I promise more sooooon!_

_Replies to un-signed in reviews:_

_Ambrosiabb - Aw do you really? XD I'm so glad you do like it so much love J . And no I'm not planning for it to be but I never know with me lmao. Thanks so much love! (huggles)_

_Veronica - Thanks hun I'm very happy to hear you think this is getting better and better! XD Love ya! (hugs)_

_Bodemonster92 - LOL aw thanks so much hun glad to hear it! (hugs)_

_Jessica B - Yes Sweeney did kill Lucy in the movie just like you said, is that what you were asking? Glad you love it hun thank you! (hugs)_

_Miranda - Well thank you so much hun, good to know somebody would definitely buy them hehe ;) So glad you liked this and the first chap love, it was great talking to you too J Love ya hun! (huggles)_

_Catseyes8588 - Omg happy birthday love! XD So you're twenty now right? Hope you had a good day and I'm glad I could unknowingly give you a bday present lol! Glad you liked it thanks hun! (hugs)_

_Odette - Mmhm the plot thickens indeed ;) Glad you loved it hun thanks so much! (huggles)_

_Twitch - Well I'm glad you like my long rambling descriptions lol! XD And I'm happy you're so excited about this, I am too I've got so much to come! ;) XD Thank you love! (huggles)_

_Thea - Teehee yeah I thought you might ;) Thanks for the review love! (hugs_

_Sarah - Lmao yes of course it was intended to be suggestive at the beginning, come on you should know me by now lol. Volcanic ash that's a new one haha! Thanks so much for the review love! (hugs)_

_Thyme - Yeah I guess PA did get pretty dark at times too but yes this will be much darker so I'm glad you like that J Thanks so much hun glad you're enjoying it so far ;) love ya (hugs)_

_Cheyenne - I know poor Toby huh he is kinda cute with his bottle of gin lol. So gad you liked it love thank you! Love ya (huggles)_

_Jml - LOL yup it was intended that way ;) Thanks so much glad you liked it! (hugs)_

_Lizzy - I'm glad you liked it love! XD Oh dear PA being made into a movie lmao that would be some awkward movie for Helena/Johnny/Tim to shoot huh!? LOL you gave me a really silly image of Sweeney and Lovett riding horses!! Baha I can just see that now, I have an image of Sweeney being stuck on some really crazy horse and hanging on for dear life lmao. Thank you so much though hun! Love ya (hugs)_


	4. Chapter 4

_Hey sweetie piiiies, here's chappie number four!_

* * *

Mrs. Lovett tutted irritably as the banging on the door became louder and more persistent. "'Old on - won't be a minute!" She called out for the third time. "Damn thing - 'elp me do this up Sweeney," she muttered to her husband as she hurriedly fumbled with the fiddly buttons on the back of her dress.

Sweeney leant over on the bed, pulling her dress together and buttoning it up as she sat down, yanking her stockings and boots on and lacing them up.

"Bloody impatient idiot whoever it is - they call at the bleedin' crack o' dawn what do they expect!?" She muttered irritably.

"Well it is nearly nine." Sweeney informed her as she laced her boots up.

She whipped her head round to look at him, wide eyes. "Never!" She glanced at the clock to see that, yes he was right. A quarter to nine. "Bugger it we was longer than I thought - oh alright, I'm coming, I'm coming!" She tore herself away form her mirror where she'd been fussing her hair into place and flew from the room towards the front door.

She wrenched it open to see a portly gentleman stood at the door, wearing a top hat and a very un-amused expression.

"'Scuse me sir. 'Ad several batches of pies to get out the oven and I couldn't find me cloth anywhere - and if I didn't do it now they'd all 'ave burnt!"

"Quite. May I come in?"

She didn't move from the doorway. "Oh, is there something I can 'elp ya with?"

"Yes. If I may?" He made to move past her again but, irritated, she stood her ground.

"And that might be?"

The gentleman frowned at her for a moment before rooting in his inside pocket and producing a piece of paper which he handed to her. "Mrs. Lovett I am Beadle Huntly, you may have heard of me, I've recently replaced Beadle Bamford who went missing over a year ago - and as part of my duties it is my responsibility to investigate any environmental claims made against anyone in the community."

Mrs. Lovett was frowning at the important looking piece of yellowed paper he'd given her with a seal on the top. She didn't like where this was going at all.

"Those are complaints made against your establishment, the first is dating back almost two years now - it is dreadfully unacceptable that these were not seen to sooner, but I am in office now and I make it my business that things like this are let slip no longer."

"Er -"

"So if I may come in, please?" He said, his tone suggesting she didn't have an alternative and the please an obvious mockery.

Her brow furrowed and she stepped aside and let him enter, closing the door behind him.

"The claims state that at night there is a dreadful stench coming from your establishment, more specifically I assume, your bake house."

"Goodness me! Well, I don't know who's been saying that but everything's good and clean down there, I've always been one for the cleaning, me - the smells probably coming from the sewers - run underneath 'ere ya know - nothing stinking in my bake house I assure you - all me meat is good and fresh, bought straight from the butchers."

"I see. From Mr. Brookes and Son's, I assmue, down the road?"

Her heart started pounding. "Er - no, no not Brookes and Son's…"

"Then which one?"

She was mentally cursing herself to high heaven, frantically trying to think of what to say - until her husband saved her the panic.

"Oh - good morning good sir. And what may we do for you?" He said with just the right amount of curiosity and suspicion as he strolled into the room.

"Ah, good morning Mr…?"

"Todd sir, at your service. You have business with my wife?"

The man looked back and forth between the two. "Your wife? You own this establishment as well then?"

"No, I have my own shop above."

"Ah, then I'm afraid Mr. Todd, that my business is with your wife alone."

"We run the place together, don't matter what name it's in/" Mrs. Lovett cut in. "What's my business is his."

The man sniffed. "Very well then. I would like to take a look at your bake house, if that would be alright?"

Mrs. Lovett opened her mouth to protest but Sweeney cut in with a pleasant smile. "Certainly sir. Right this way."

After frantically trying to catch Sweeney's eye and failing, Mrs. Lovett dashed in front of them before they could step over the threshold of the shop. "Can I get you anything first sir? I'm sure a cuppa tea wouldn't go amiss - and there's a nice 'ot batch of pies fresh out the oven too if you'd like one?"

He hesitated, clearly tempted. "I'm afraid I must see to business. Perhaps after, if there's time."

He moved to pass her. "Why not before sir? The pie's hot now - and the kettles boiling already." She hoped he didn't notice the slight hint of desperation in her voice.

He stared at her for a moment, clearly pondering. "Well…alright. Thank you - I suppose the bake house will still be there after - and I must admit I've been on the go since the crack of dawn, it would be nice to sit a moment."

"Well then. There we are. You sit yourself down and I'll go fetch ya a lovely cuppa tea and a pie sir!" She gushed as relief washed through her. She hurried off. "Oh - um - Mr. Todd could ya 'elp me a moment - just need an 'and with…" Luckily she was out of hearing range before she had to come up with a suitable excuse.

She rounded on Sweeney as soon as they were in the kitchen. "We can't _kill 'im_, what were ya thinking!?" She hissed.

He frowned at her. "Why not?"

"Because - 'e's the blood beadle, they gonna notice 'im gone you silly man - and 'e's on official business too so they'll know where 'e went an' all! On official business inspectin' me shop due to complaints that is - we might as well 'ang a bloody big sign outside - 'we murdered the beadle' -"

"Alright!" He muttered quickly. He waved a hand absently in the direction of the kettle. "Put the tea on."

"Oh - yeah." She moved to do so, continuing to speak to him in hushed tones. "What we gonna do!?"

Sweeney frowned at the floor for a moment before, "I'll go down and hide any signs of anything -" he said quickly, turning to leave.

"But - there's bones an' body parts an' everything down there!"

"I'll throw them in the sewers and get them later and dispose of them properly - I'm due a trip to the Thames anyway."

"But all the tools -"

"You had them anyway didn't you? They're simple butchers tools." He was turning towards the hallway.

"There's still a body down there!"

"I'll burn it."

"Tha's a bloody waste of meat -" She protested huffily but he was gone, sweeping from the kitchen quickly.

Chewing her lip and running through things frantically in her mind she saw to making a cup of tea and heating a pie quickly.

"Here you are sir!" She said, beaming as she placed the plate and cup down in front of him and sat herself down opposite. "You must be an awful busy man, I'm sure. You take as long as ya like there love - there's plenty more tea if you wish for any!"

"Thank you madam." He said politely to the smiling bake. "Now for the matter of -" He glanced round briefly. "And where did Mr. Todd go to?"

"Um - 'e - oh 'e's with Jimmy. We got an eight month old son see, 'e just woke up."

"Ah. I see. Well then," he said, taking a sip of tea and picking the pie up. "I believe you were about to tell me where it is you get your meat from earlier."

"All me meat comes from Mr Brown's butchers, it ain't round 'ere - bout an hours carriage ride away." She said confidently, glad she'd thought to think this up quickly in the kitchen.

Beadle Huntly blinked. "And may I ask why this is madam? Surely this is a huge extra expense?"

"Well yes but see it's the only good meat I can get - ya must know what that rubbish round 'ere is like - cheap yes, but mostly grizzle and bone! Me aunt lives down that way see, she told me bout it she did. 'E got 'is own farm up there, produces all 'is meat 'imself so it's all of the finest quality. And that's why these are the best pies in London sir!" She shot a little wink at him to which he found himself unable to resist smiling to.

He took a bite as if to test this. He chewed and swallowed it down with an appreciative noise. "Indeed. Delicious!"

That got him another smile which he returned. His smile held a little too long but she didn't look away; getting him to like her certainly wouldn't do them any harm now would it?

With this thought in mid she leaned her elbows on the table, leaning forwards a little and almost laughing to herself when she saw his eyes drop straight away to her displayed cleavage. He looked down into his cup of tea quickly.

"So good sir, I'm sure you must be an awful busy man, what with all the responsibilities you 'ave - you've one of the most important jobs in the community." She chatted, leaning her chin on her hand.

"Indeed. Very busy."

She made sure to keep him talking as long as she could - something that was easy for her anyway - to insure that her husband had enough time to dispose off all evidence down in the bake house pointing to the fact that she used slightly less than legal ingredients for her pies.

He rose from his seat finally. "Well Mrs. Todd, as lovely as it's been talking to you, I'm afraid duty calls and I must see to inspecting your bake house, I have much else to do today."

She stood, somewhat hesitantly. "Of course, sir. Um - right this way." And she lead him from the kitchen, hoping fervently that Sweeney was done down there.

She felt relief wash over her when he appeared in the hall.

"Ah - Beadle- I do apologise, our son was crying." Was it luck or the fact they thought so similarly that he had come up with the same excuse as she for his absence? "You're on your way down to have a look at the bake house?"

"Yes." He replied shortly.

"Right this way sir!" Mrs. Lovett said, casually as she could manage, opening the two heavy doors and descending the stairs.

The familiar smell of rotting flesh, sewage and bad invaded their nostrils as she pushed the door open - but it was one her and Sweeney were so used to by now they were practically immune.

She wasn't surprised when the beadle curled his lip. "I think I can safely say the complaints were not without reason." He muttered in disgust.

"I told ya sir, the sewers run just under 'ere - see them grates look - all the smells come from there."

"Hm. Perhaps not quite the best set up for a bake house then, madam?"

"Well - always been fine. Twenty years I been running this place - never 'ad no complaints before."

"Right." He said, peering around the dimly lit room with narrowed eyes. "Well, I must take a proper look around, if you'd care to wait upstairs, I'm sure it won't take long to complete my inspection."

"Um - well now, I'll just wait over 'ere in case ya need anything - any more questions or the like -"

He gave her a fake smile. "Thank you ma'am but that won't be necessary. I'm sure I can manage."

"Indeed sir," Sweeney cut in, taking his wife by the arm. "We'll leave you to it."

She went hesitantly from the bake house, with Sweeney's grip all but bruising her arm as he lead her through the door and up the stairs. She was just not happy about leaving him alone down there. "Ya sure ya hid everything? Everything!?" she hissed to him.

"Yes - it's fine."

"But what if 'e finds something - oh shit what about the trapdoor -"

"He's not going to look up there is he?" He muttered irritably as they reached the top of the stairs and made for the living room.

"He might! - The meat! In the grinder - there's meat in the top of the grinder -"

"Of course there's meat in the bloody grinder - it's a meat grinder!"

"Yes but -"

"It could be any meat - it's chopped up isn't it?"

Biting her lip, she nodded, letting herself fall into a chair, putting her head in her hands.

"Look - don't worry - it's fine, he wont find anything." He muttered quietly.

"But even then - it's a bloody mess down there! And the smell -"

"Fuck!" He suddenly swore. She looked up sharply.

"What is it?"

"The - the bones -" He was staring at her with wide, panicked eyes.

"Bones - what bones - ya got rid of em all…?"

"I - I - shit I left the bloody bag of bones by the grate in the corner - I went down with the meat first and put them there for a moment -"

"_You what!?"_

"He might not notice them -"

"Course 'e'll fucking notice 'em you bloody stupid idiot!" She spat at him, leaping to her feet.

He looked angry but let it pass - "I'll just have to kill him."

"You can't! We been through this! It'll be blatantly obvious it were us!"

"So you'd rather we hang!? Because that's what'll happen when he finds that bag -"

"No, no! Damn it - bloody hell - we'll just have to stop him from finding it!"

"By killing him."

"No! We can't!"

"The how to you propose we stop him?"

She bit her lip, an idea occurring to her. "Well…there's always one other thing I could do…" She said suddenly, very quietly.

"What?"

"Go down there now - 'opoing 'e 'asn't found em yet and like -" she faltered, "- distract 'im…"

Sweeney blinked a her.

"You know…flirt with 'im a bit. Distract 'im from finishing 'is inspection then bring 'im back up quick as I can. I dunno make 'im think 'e's gonna get something. Course I never 'ave to actually do anything just make 'im think -"

"_No!"_

"Sweeney just 'ear me out -"

"No way in bleeding hell."

"Well ya got any better ideas?" She demanded, hands on hips.

He ground his teeth.

She stepped forwards, grabbing hold of his jacket. "Sweeney - this is our _life_. If 'e find 'em bones we're done for - even if ya do kill 'im and we cover it somehow - there'll be another beadle, and another inspection - and until we're cleared it's just gonna get more and more suspicious - just let me try - what 'arm will it do?"

His face was twitching a little she noticed, he looked like he was struggling to suppress complete rage until he snapped his eyes away from her and his shoulder's slumped as he ground out, "fine. Do it." As if it were the most painful thing he had ever had to say. "But he lays one finger on you -"

"Sweeney!" She cut him off quickly. "'E _won't. _I won't let 'im touch me don't worry."

He looked positively livid but nodded unhappily.

"Right." And she spun and took off, just hoping that it wasn't already too late.

* * *

_Once again sorry for the shortness loves but it needed to be cut off there. I've got a major headache right now since I woke up today, think I'm having a migraine or something but if I feel better later I'll post more tonight._

_Hope you all liked this chap, love you my pets!_

_Replies to un-signed in reviews:_

_Cheyenne - No banging my head on my desk doesn't help ot get rid of the fluff but it makes me feel better XD I know sorry about that, I'm glad you think I pull it off though XD So glad you liked the chap thanks so much love! (huggles)_

_Ambrosiabb - Aw well thanks so much love that fabulous huh!? XD Hehe love ya hun (hugs)_

_Twitch - Lol yes fluff cane be moderately tolerated occasionally in microscopic doses ;) Glad you liked it and glad I gave ya a laugh hehe XD Thank you! (hugs)_

_Sarah brihene - Yes very bad Sweeney indeed! Lmaooo you /always/ sense sexytime my dear :P Thanks hun love ya! (huggles)_

_Jamie - Yes I did miss you! XD Aww you got a puppy how cute what's her name? What breed is she? Thanks for the review hun love ya! (hugs)_

_Thyme - Lmao yes I think Jimmy probably will be in need of serious therapy when he's older…what hope is there for him huh!? Haha. Ah well you will just have to wait and see love! :P Thanks so much for the review! (hugs)_

_Veronica - Haha I bet you did ;) well I'm glad you enjoyed the fluff even if I hated it lol. Thank you hun love y! (huggles)_

_Jml - Well I'm glad you think so that makes me feel better, I still don't like it though LOL. Gad you liked the chap thank you love! (hugs)_

_RyanSeacrest - (lmao at the name change ;) Lol I know right sorry about shortness! Thanks for the review hun! (hugs)_


	5. Chapter 5

_Well my headache did go after I went to sleep for a couple of hours after posting the chap yesterday - actually I went to watch Sweeney with my duvet and a dose of paracetamol and fell asleep O.o ...I know right!? I woke up just in time to see Lovett getting ovened :( That sucked. Ah well never mind I'll watch it again another time lol. And I would have posted this last night buuuut I got distracted. Again. :Glares at culprits: But still, just over 24 hours not bad huh? ;)_

_I can't believe I have over two hundred reviews and two thousand hits already!! Woooaahh...you guys spoil me XD _

_Oh I forgot to tell you, I read through all of PA start to finish in the gap between the two fics (it was kinda strange acutally cause I'd totally forgotton a lot of it lol it was like reading someone elses story) and I timed it - it took me ten and a quarter hours. I read pretty slow I think no? But still. That's how long the bloody thing is O.o_

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"You alright down 'ere sir?" Mrs. Lovett said loudly as she entered the dingy bake house. The beadle straightened from peering at the meat grinder.

"Yes. Not quite finished yet," he said, indicating she should leave him again.

She closed the door behind her, relieved that he hadn't ventured as far as the dark corner in the back yet.

"Sorry for disturbing ya sit but I'll be opening in a couple of hours and I really need to be getting on wi' making some pies ready for lunch."

"Well - this won't take long."

"Me 'usband's just popped out to the grocers to get me some more vegetables for the filling - run clean out of carrots I 'ave!" She chatted, trying to sound as casual as she could. "'E's awful 'andy, 'e is," she gave a shrill little laugh.

"Hm. Well, I really must be getting on." He turned to the oven but she continued, apparently oblivious.

"You married yerself, Beadle?"

"Huh? Oh, no. No I'm not." He said, looking back at her briefly.

"Yer not? Well that's a shame. A fine gentleman like you, 'ow is it you 'aven't found yourself a lovely wife by now sir?" She'd strolled over as she spoke, leaning casually against the meat grinder.

He blinked at her. "Oh - uh - I don't know, I guess -"

"A shame indeed, any woman would be lucky to 'ave such an upstanding gentleman such as yerself - and so respectable - what with all what ya do for the community an' all!"

He was staring at her now, no longer intent on inspecting the oven.

She shot a pleasant smile at him. "And 'andsome too! Dunno 'ow it is you ain't got yourself a wife sir!"

"Well thank you ma'am. How kind of you to say." He said, smiling a little.

"Well just statin' the truth o' the matter sir. Ya know if I weren't married -" She cut off quickly, looking down and blushing convincingly, as if she'd been ashamed of speaking so brashly. She cleared her throat. "Well. Best be leaving ya to it." She muttered quietly, flashing another coy smile at him from under her lashes, turning to leave -

"Ma'am?"

"Yes?"

"Uh -" He turned back to the oven, bending a little to peer at it although she knew he wasn't really looking. "Well no sense in you going. I shan't be long, feel free to get on with making your pies."

She beamed at him, although he wasn't looking at her. "'Ow gracious of ya sir! Don't worry I won't be getting in yer way!" She gushed, turning and hurrying across the room to retrieve a tray of uncooked pies off the shelf in the corner.

Making her way back across the stone floor to the oven she laid a hand on his arm, "'scuse me sir - sorry - can I just -"

"Oh yes. Of course." He moved away a little and she flashed him a smile, opening the heavy oven door and sliding the tray of pies in.

"Oh!" She exclaimed suddenly, making him start and start at her. She let out a shrill little giggle. "Do you know I were putting these in and I ain't even turned it on! Goodness me I'm all in a flutter this morning!" She laughed again, and a sidelong glance at the beadle let her know that he was amused by her antics. As she got the oven going and proceeded to put the pies in she cleared her throat and continued her chatter. "So I'm guessing it must be an 'uge responsibility, this job o' yers sir?"

"Er -" he glanced at her again, "yes. Yes it is a responsibility, and a very important one that I am honoured to hold."

"Ah yes - important too - why I dunno what we'd do without good men like you around!"

"Well thank you ma'am."

She slammed the door shut - just about to shove the latch down when another idea occurred to her. She gave it a weak push. "Um - I couldn't ask a favour could I sir?" She said timidly.

He smiled at her. "Certainly."

"D'ya think you could 'elp me close this oven door, it's awful stiff - only - me 'usbands usually down 'ere giving me an 'and…?"

"Ah yes, of course." He walked over to her and she made no attempt to step aside, forcing him to step into her personal space as he grabbed hold of the handle and pushed it down, making sure it was closed tightly. "There you are." Another smile which was returned with a marvellously convincing blush.

"Thank you sir! Sorry for 'aving to ask." She fluttered her eyelashes at him and he smirked back a moment before clearing his throat and turning away again. "Lucky you was 'ere!" She continued. "Since me 'usband's out I guess I need another big strong man instead." She saw him freeze a moment at her words, but quickly give himself a little shake, obviously telling himself he was imagining her double meaning, and continued to stroll slowly around the bake house..

She allowed herself a small smirk. Well he was responding to her subtle flirts alright, but only subtly himself. If she wanted to succeed with this however, she realised she was going to have to be far more direct.

"Me 'usband's gone out ya know. To the grocers." She spoke, droppign her voice a little as she strolled over to him.

"Yes you - you mentioned." He paused and was watching her intently as if trying to suss her out as she made her way over to him and stopped in front of him, a littler closer than was polite.

"Hmm." She smiled. "Did I mention what an 'andsome gentleman you are?" She had clearly dropped her voice this time.

He eyed her up an down briefly before his eyes lit up and he returned her small smile. "I think you may have done…did _I _mention what a beautiful woman you are?"

She beamed widely and returned the favour, raking her own eyes over his form none too discreetly. She licked her lips a little. "E'll be a good while I imagine…" She looked into his eyes, putting on a pretty little pout. "Whatever will I do while e's gone?"

She saw him suck in a short breath and wanted to laugh to herself. Oh this was working marvellously now.

"Well…I believe I could think of something…" He said, leering at her.

"Oh - and care to tell me what that might be?" She moved a closer to him still, pushing her chest out a little, their bodies only inches apart.

"I'm sure I could show you better," he muttered, his eyes flicking down to her parted lips.

"Then show me." She whispered, leaning in towards his face…

Sweeney stood outside the bake house door, listening intently to the conversation going on inside.

He was seething.

Why the hell he'd let her attempt this ridiculous plan he didn't know. But he had. And now he had to stand out here (well, he didn't have to, but he was hardly going to leave her to it was he?) listening to his wife make obvious passes at another man. He wanted to rip his head off and plunge his razor into his ugly face repetitively just hearing the snide little comments he shot back at her, obviously thinking himself to be clever and thinking _her_ to be coming on to him. And, knowing it was acting though he did, he almost wanted to rip _her_ head off to for hearing her speak to another man in that low, seductive tone of hers that was usually reserved for him alone.

He trembled outside the door, using every ounce of self restraint to stop himself from barging in there and slaughtering the stupid blighter on the spot. He imagined he'd never hear the end of it if he did that - and he also knew with some bitterness that she was right - it would only land them in more trouble.

He heard a low voice drift through the door, "did _I _mention what a beautiful woman you are?"

Rage boiled inside him. He could only imagine how much of her he was ogling at that moment. How much of his _wife _he was eyeing up. How dare he say such things to her!

And if she were to be flattered by such compliments…

No, no, no that was stupid, a pointless thought, of course she wouldn't he knew she wouldn't. Never. Why did that even occur to him? She was his. She loved being his. She loved _him. _

No, of course not. This was all just an act on her part, he knew she wouldn't, he just didn't like the fact that another man obviously thought she would.

The beadle's next words made his blood freeze; "I'm sure I could show you better," then hers made it boil - "then show me…"

He flung the door open, razor in hand and stood, dark eyes burning, in the doorway as the pair who had been leaning into each other sprung apart. Sweeney saw red. Crossing the floor in four quick strides he grabbed his wife by the waist and hair, yanking her to him with a growl and forcefully kissing her hard and thoroughly on the mouth - and making her give a muffled yelp when he bit down hard on her lip. He pulled back to see her shocked face as she brought a hand up to her bleeding mouth, and he whirled suddenly on the shocked beadle, grabbing him by the scruff of his neck, and slamming him against the oven, his razor pressed to his throat.

"You see that!?" He demanded. "See!? I am the only one who will ever _- ever _- do that to her - you understand!?"

"Sweeney!" Mrs. Lovett shrieked having finally got her voice back. "Unhand Mr. Huntly right now! What the 'ell do ya think you're doing!?" She wiped at the trickle of bloody from her lip. "And that _hurt!" _She fumed.

"You deserved it!" He snapped. "You're mine - and I will not stand for another man thinking he can have you!"

If she hadn't been fuming mad at his vicious rage and spitefulness and the fact that he was ruining their plan that had been going really rather well, she may have been flattered.

"Let go of me this instant sir!" Huntly commanded, although his voice was a little shaky.

"Let go of you - _let go of you!? _So you can continue to assault my wife!?"

The beadle stared at him with wide eyes for several moments, fear showing through the anger on his face. Finally he hissed, "I'd like to inform you _sir _that your wife does not seem as dedicated to you as you to her - she is hardly an innocent in all this -in fact I'd go as far as to say she initiated the whole thing!"

Sweeney gave a yell of anger and slammed him against the oven again, the bang of his head hitting the iron door echoing round the bake house.

"We planned it to distract you, you stupid bastard! As if she would go anywhere near the likes of you otherwise!"

He was staring at him in shock now, blinking furiously against the obvious dizziness he was feeling from the hard blow to his head. "Distract me - what!? From what?"

"From your inspection!"

Huntly looked shocked and hurt. His gaze flicked from Sweeney to Mrs. Lovett who was still holding a hand to her smarting lip, a cross frown on her face.

"Why!?" He spat out. "You have something to hide?"

Mrs. Lovett had to give it to him, most men would have crumpled in the position they were in under that glare by now.

"Oh…you could say that," Sweeney's voice was low and taunting, his cold smile horribly chilling.

Mrs. Lovett could see he was scared of him now. _She _was scared of him - he was terrifying with that intensely dangerous glint in his eye.

"S-sir - as a servant of the law I demand you tell me this instant what your - your - _wife _was attempting to distract me from!"

"From finding the pile of human bones in the corner!" He snarled. Huntly paled. Mrs. Lovett wanted to slap a hand to her forehead. Well if they weren't buggered before they certainly were now. She supposed that was the end of _him. _

"Human b-bones!? - _What!? _I - what is this!? What's going on here!?" His voice shook and the panic was evident on his face.

"Oh…what _isn't_ going on here is the more appropriate question I believe sir." He told him with a cruel curl of his lip.

He looked terrified. "What's going on - wh - why are there h-human bones?" He asked, his trembling voice barely above a whisper, clear he was dreading the answer.

Sweeney grinned then, a grin that although it held no pleasantness, clearly showed his sadistic amusement. "Because, dear sir, do you know what's really in those pies, in the best pies in London?" He said, his voice low and taunting before he barked quickly, "men!"

Huntly gasped, his eyes wide and face white.

"Men like you, Beadle Huntly." And with those words he spun him in his grasp so they both faced Mrs. Lovett and locking his dark eyes firmly to hers, his expression somewhere between fury and gloating, he dragged his razor slowly and deeply across Huntly's neck, letting him convulse and gurgle as the blood spurted from the incision until his body slumped and he threw him to the floor.

"_Goddamnit Sweeney!" _Mrs. Lovett yelled at him. "Ya just can't bloody control yerself can you!?"

"You think I was going to be able to stand by while you threw yourself at another man - it was a ridiculous idea! How could I even have considered letting you do that - how could you even bloody suggest it!"

"Sweeney it was for _us!"_

"_No! _And it's a bloody good thing I didn't stand by - he was about to bloody _kiss you _when I came in -"

"I'd been about to pull away just 'fore you walked in - 'course I bloody wasn't about to go and let 'im kiss me! I promised you I wouldn't let 'im touch me didn't I? Why couldn't y'ave trusted me!?"

He growled sharply in anger before turning and beginning to stroll away - but not before he had given the dead body of the beadle a hard kick to the head.

"Oi! I'm bloody talking to you!" She fumed.

He continued to stride towards the door.

"Sweeney Todd we are not done 'ere!" She marched after him, darting between him and the door and standing there firmly, hands on hips. "I asked ya why ya didn't trust me!"

He scowled at her. "I trust _you_ - it was him I didn't trust!"

"Then why couldn't y'ave left me to it like we agreed!?"

He growled angrily. "Because!"

"Because what!?"

"Because -" He seized her by the shoulders suddenly, shoving her back into the door, his hands gripping painfully as he growled at her, his face so close she could feel his hot breath on her own. "You. Belong. To me."

When she didn't answer, muted by his anger, her heart pounding in her position pinned to the door, he gave her a sudden shake, jolting her shoulders roughly. "Don't you!?"

Shaken, she nodded quickly. He glared at her for another moment before he released her suddenly, turning away and leaving her heaving against the door. She stared at his back with hurt eyes.

"Sweeney?" She whispered. He didn't respond. Cautiously she stepped towards him and laid a hand softly on his arm. "I love you." She said quietly.

He was tense for a moment before his shoulders slumped and he muttered, "I know," softly.

He was right, she realised - it had been a stupid idea. It had been a stupid idea to test the patience of her husband like that (her husband who just happened to be the type to savagely slaughter anybody who crossed him - and that very much included any man who did anything remotely resembling coming on to his wife.)

She swallowed. "I'm sorry." She wasn't really, she knew he'd behaved completely irrationally seeing as he had previously agreed to everything she did, she just hating having had upset him so.

He hung his head and nodded, and she breathed out a sigh of relief as he turned round to face her and the anger was gone from his face. She stepped forwards and slipped her arms around him, sighing deeply as she squeezed him tightly, her head on his shoulder. "I do wish you 'and't killed 'im though love." She said a little apprehensively, hoping it wouldn't set him off again.

He tensed in her arms a bit "It's done now." He muttered.

She nodded. "S'just…" she shifted her head on his shoulder a little. "We gonna 'ave an 'ard time covering this one up."

There was only a short pause before he answered. "That's why I'm taking him to the Town Hall later on tonight. I'll leave the body in the alley running alongside it. Could 'ave been anyone. Politics and all that."

So he'd clearly given this some thought. She wondered if he'd ever planned to let her complete _her _plan.

Although it sounded like it made sense she huffed a little, still not happy.

She stood silent in his arms for a while, a little numb as the scene replayed itself in her head. She sighed heavily. No, she wasn't happy about this at all - whether or not they could set it up so it looked like it had taken place outside the Town Hall, the problem still stood that he held that piece of paper stating the claims made against her shop - and investigating said claims was most likely written on his agenda for the day. And like she'd told Sweeney earlier, even if they got away with the murder, the problem would only arise again when yet another beadle was appointed -

Tearing herself from his arms suddenly she flew back towards the door with an, "I got an idea back in a tic -"

Sweeney stared after her as she pounded up the stairs and was still stood there, a frown on his face when she returned a few moments later - with a quill. He watched, wondering what on earth she was doing as she hurried over to the body of the beadle and started rooting though his pockets.

"Nellie what are you -"

"Aha!" She pulled out the yellowed piece of paper he'd showed her earlier and her eyes scanned it quickly. She rooted into his inside pocket again and pulled out another piece of paper, quickly unfolding and examining that one too.

She looked up as he approached her, still wondering what on earth she was up to, when she tugged him to the ground next to her. "'Ere - you write better than I do," she said, putting the quill in his hand and pieces of paper in front of him.

He was still lost. "Huh?"

She jabbed a finger to line at the bottom of the paper. "Write there - write 'Investigated and settled' - or 'claims dismissed' or something - and copy 'is signature underneath - 'ere." She pointed at the signature that was on the bottom of the other sheet.

Sweeney stared at the pieces of paper for a moment with narrowed eyes before he smirked and glanced up at her. "Very good my dear," he said, impressed.

She smirked back and winked at him. "Go on, do it." She said, nodding towards the paper.

He scrawled a few words on the line in his neat script and copied the beadle's signature underneath before folding both pieces of paper up and handing them back to Mrs. Lovett. She slipped them both back into the beadle's inside pocket, patting it firmly.

"There we are, all done." She grinned at Sweeney again who got to his feet and pulled her up. She leant quickly up to kiss him briefly, but snapped her head back with a little hiss of pain when their lips met, brining a hand up to her mouth. She'd forgotten about that for a moment.

"What??" Sweeney said.

She lowered her hand from her lip which was a little swollen where he'd bitten it and had dried blood round the small wound.

"Y'urt me." She grumbled.

He scowled. "You hurt _me!" _He suddenly spat back with so much venom she physically flinched.

Shocked at the spite of his words, sudden tears welled up in her eyes. "I - I'm sorry - love I -"

He looked away from her hurt, watery eyes, a little guilt welling up. "Forget it." He muttered quietly, shaking his head quickly. "Just -" He glanced back at her wide, vulnerable eyes - "don't - _ever_ - talk to another man like that again alright?"

She shook her head furiously. "'Course not! 'Course I won't - ya know it weren't for real but - no I won't, ever - I promise love!"

He nodded tensely, lifting a hand to press to her cheek briefly. Then he cleared his throat and stepped back. "Come on then, you've got a shop to get open. And so have I."

"Oh bugger yer right!" She said with a sudden gasp, bursting back into life, hurrying across the room to the oven to check on the pies as she spoke frantically. "What time is it!? I ain't even got the bloody shop ready yet - get Toby up on yer way up if 'e's still abed will ya dear, set 'im to work - _damn! _These ones ain't got any bloody filling in!" She cursed angrily as she withdrew the tray of semi-cooked pies. "That's a bleeding waste o' pasty! An where did I put the other batch I 'ad in me 'and…" She continued muttering to herself, not even noticing that her one-sided conversation had turned into a monologue as her husband had made a retreat from the bake house. He rolled his eyes as he went quickly before he should - heaven forbid - start laughing at the antics of his unintentionally-far-too-adorable wife.

* * *

_Well that wasn't so bad length-wise was it? XD Sorry if it's a bit all over the place, seems like it to me. And sorry if that doesn't sound like a last line (suucks dude! O.o)_

_We're getting going now lovies! ;)_

_Alright so I am aware my random questions have as of yet being absent in this fic. And several of you have been asking sooo I'm gonna try and think of some more to ask y'all XD. I've thought of a new one (I think it is...uhm, haven't got the best memory if you haven't already guessed that so sorry if I've asked it already) What siblings have you got? I'm an only child myself and /love/ it. I don't think I could have it any other way, I like my own space too much XD_

_Replies to un-signed in reviews:_

_Sarah Brihene - Yes he is getting quite crazy again isn't he!? You lot certainly did make me feel better on hw btw ;) hehe thank you for the review me love! (hugs)_

_CassieLestrange - Thanks so much, glad to hear you like it love! (are you CassieLestrange from Helena-world btw??) (hugs)_

_Miranda - Yeah I know it was pretty short but this one was up pretty quick too huh? ;) Hehe thanks so much for the review hun I know headaches suck big time huh? Love ya! (huggles)_

_Thyme - But…I like cliffhangers...:( LOL thanks for the review love! (hugs) _

_Lizzy - Thank you love, I'm very glad you liked the chap short though it was J love ya (huggles)_

_Jml - Hehe well I try to reel chapters out pretty quick because one, I love writing this and two, I know how I don't like waiting long for people to update lol ;) Thanks so much hun! So glad you liked it! (huggles)_

_RyanSeacres - Now I feel that was totally uncalled for! :P LOL thanks for the review love! (hugs)_

_Blueberrymuffin - Hi /again/ lmao well I'm so glad to hear you liked both PA and this so far hun! You read PA in three hours!? O.o As I said, took me over ten so I either read reallllly slow or you read freakishly fast lmao. Thanks so much for the review! (huggles)_


	6. Chapter 6

_Hellooo loves. How's everybody doing? I know this took a little while but hopefully it's worth it, we're getting going with this story now! ;)_

_It's my birthday on Sunday….eh. I must be getting old cause it's the first birthday I don't actually want. Nineteen sounds waaay too old! It sounds like I should start being sensible and grown up now. O.o. And I'm really not. Life is going far too quickly for my liking lately! :S_

_Well anyway chapter six coooming up!_

* * *

It was just past five when Mrs. Lovett closed her shop that night - Just before the dinner rush, to the dismay and annoyance of many potential customers she was sure - but it had been a bit of a long day (to say the least) and she felt her stress levels would hit the roof if she had to go through another night of rushing around like a mad woman trying to serve pies to half of London.

She was scrubbing tables inside - while Toby was seeing to the outside ones, and her husband was sat in a booth with their son, absently sipping a small gin when he cleared his throat, putting his glance down.

"Better go and see to the stuff." He muttered.

She looked up at him. Of course, it was all still in the sewers. She'd nearly forgotten about that. "Oh. Yeah. Ya better 'ad." He got up to leave. She had often thought how ridiculously convenient it was that the sewers ran under her bake house - and even more so that they were easily navigable to the point where they spilled out into the Thames - though it was quite the trek. "Careful love."

He rolled his eyes a little. "I don't think the sewers are going to eat me Mrs. Lovett."

She rolled her own back at him. "Well ya never know _Mr. Todd_. Gotta watch them rats." She teased with a small smile, sauntering over to him. "See ya later love." She said, giving him a quick kiss on the lips.

Sighing somewhat contentedly an hour or so later, after she'd left the boy to finish the shop, tidied up down in the bake house and done some laundry, Mrs. Lovett tucked edges of the sheet in and smoothed the cover over as she finished changing the sheets. She couldn't fight the smirk that found its way onto her lips when she thought about why she was changing the sheets…again. She didn't really know why she bothered - not that she was complaining.

The previous night wormed its way into the front of her mind. And this morning. They'd been married a year and sleeping together even longer and she still didn't think she would ever have enough of him - and she hoped she never would.

Damn…but she wanted him now. And he would have gone out. Damn it. She let herself fall flat onto her back on her bed with a loud sigh. A hand wandered idly and subconsciously over her body as thoughts of him filled her head - until she realised she was rubbing her breast softly through her dress.

She paused. Well of course she always _could_…

Shuffling her body completely onto the bed she shifted, letting her hand slide into the top of her dress as her other ran down her body.

Her chest heaved. _Hmm Sweeney_…she could see him laying over her, his eyes darkened with lust for her body, his hand caressing her breast -

She pulled at the clasps on the front of her dress, undoing it to the waist. She pulled it apart and saw him staring down at her, moving his hand to open her corset as well. The top of her corset fell open and he dipped his head to kiss her breasts as she rubbed them, teasing a nipple as he would with one hand, while the other raked down her body and drew her skirts up.

She shifted, parting her legs, her breathing becoming heavy as a hand dove through the layers of fabric to her burning heat…

Shutting the two doors at the top of the bake house stairs firmly, Sweeney turned and strolled into the living room - and froze.

There was no mistaking what those sounds coming from the bedroom were…

His heart stopped. They were the sounds of his wife. The sounds she made when they were -

She wouldn't…!? She _wouldn't _- she loved him - she'd never -

She moaned hoarsely again - shock, pain and rage shot through him all at once -

He kicked the door open so violently it flew back and smacked into the wall and Mrs. Lovett shrieked in shock.

He felt instant relief wash over him when he saw his wife scrambling to fling sheets over her half-naked body where she lay in the middle of the bed - _alone. _

"Fuckin' ell Sweeney! Ever 'eard o' knocking!?" She cursed, her face red and chest heaving. When she saw his face, when he didn't reply - "Sw - Sweeney?"

"Wh…what are you doing!?" He said stupidly, his face still panicked.

"Um…?"

He shook his head as if to clear his mind, trying to be rid of the horrible angry pain he had been gripped by for a moment. "You…I thought…" It finally registered what it really was he'd walked in on. "You were…!?"

"Uh…" She was still breathing hard, still flushed with unsatisfied arousal and her heart still hammering from the shock (and embarrassment) of him walking in on her.

But she would have expected him to laugh at her…in that teasing chuckle of his…and probably make some lewd comment and cross the room to - 'give her a hand' - but he was just standing there, a strangely panicked look on his face. "Love y'alright? Ya look like - like ya seen a ghost…? Um…" She felt her face flush further, pulling the sheets up a little more, suddenly extremely uncomfortable under his strange wide-eyed stare. "I's…s'not that bad is it? I mean…uh - everyone does it sometimes…?"

If he'd ever thought about a moment like this beforehand, Sweeney would probably have assumed that he would be amused by the sight, most likely incredibly aroused as well - but he hadn't - and being actually put unexpectedly into the situation, he found himself feeling nothing like that at all, it felt…_bad_ - irrationally painful even - to see his wife doing such things - the thought that she did this in private - how often!? And he didn't even know…it almost felt like she _was_ betraying him…

"Why were you doing that!?" He suddenly demanded.

She frowned in bemusement. "Uh…ain't that obvious love??"

He stared at her. "But why…why would you need to do this!? Am I not good enough for you!?" His tone was suddenly harsh.

"What!?" Disbelief washed though her as she sat up, holding the sheet close to her. "Don't be stupid! Of course y'are!"

"So why were you doing it!?" He demanded.

Her eyes widened. "I..I…you were out - I…" Annoyance suddenly gripped her. "Why do I have to explain myself to you!? Is there something wrong with me doing this?"

"Yes!"

She gawped at him in disbelief. "What??"

"I - I do - I'm the one who - you don't…" Hi voice trembled with rage - he was so powerfully effected by the situation he couldn't even explain himself.

"So I ain't allowed to touch meself now!?"

"_No!"_

She gasped, anger written all over her flushed face. "I can't believe ya!"

"I can't believe _you_ - can't believe you - you would - do this!"

"Do what!? What's the bloody problem!?"

"I can't believe you'd betray me like this!"

"Betray you - _what!?_" She'd never felt such disbelief in her life. "God - you're acting like I 'ad a bloody _affair _or something! This is crazy!"

"Well you might as well have! At least then I could kill who else dared to make you feel like that!" He barked.

"This is the most bloody ridiculous thing I've ever 'eard in me life!" His words sunk in - "and did ya just threaten me!?"

"I can't believe you do this!" He yelled, ignoring her question.

"But why - what's wrong with it!?" The anger was turning fast to upset now, she was finding herself deeply hurt by his reaction and the shock of the fact that this made him so mad.

"How long have you been doing this without me knowing!?" He demanded.

"I don't - I never -" well it was pretty much true. It was only the odd time when she'd been in the bath alone. "Just that you was out and -"

"Oh and you thought you were finally alone so you could -"

"No! Aurgh! Stop it! I just got really - um -" she faltered - "and you weren't 'ere - what was I supposed to do!?" Really she shouldn't have been desperately trying to defend and justify herself here - the way he was reacting was completely irrational.

"So you couldn't wait until I got back? No, I bet you couldn't wait 'til I got out the door -"

"Stop it!" She shrieked at him, almost in tears. "You're being bloody stupid -"

"Obviously you would rather fuck yourself than me -"

"No! I wouldn't!"

"Oh so you're saying you wanted it so bad you couldn't even wait for me -"

"Stop it, stop it!" She yelled over the lump in her throat.

"You were so desperate you had to fuck your_self_ -"

"_Stop!"_

"No - you damn little slut -"

That was it, the tears started pouring as she gasped loudly, gripped with hurt - she scrambled from the bed, holding her undone dress close to her - "I hate you sometimes Sweeney!" She hissed venomously, tearing past him towards the door.

She had reached the threshold when he barked, "Come back here!"

She whirled fast, a strong need to hurt him like he'd hurt her - "_It's better than when you do it!" _She shrieked spitefully at him, before flying from the room.

"Where's mum?" Toby demanded from the other side of the living room much later, when it started to reach a point that was ridiculously past dinner time.

Sweeney looked up from Jimmy's face, who he was absently watching sleep in his arms. He scowled at Toby and looked back down. "Bathroom."

Toby frowned. "What, all this time!? What she doing in there!? And ain't we gonna 'ave dinner?"

"Get yer own bloody dinner if you're hungry and stop asking questions."

"But why's she in the bathroom all this time?"

"Mind your own business." Sweeney snapped.

"But can't ya tell 'er to come out?"

"If you think you can persuade her be my guest, otherwise shut up."

Toby scowled at Sweeney for a moment before getting to his feet and making his way towards the bathroom.

He knocked timidly on the door. "Mum?"

No answer. "Mum, s'me.

The other side of the door, Mrs. Lovett sat against the wall, knees tucked up to her chest. Toby had finally given up - she heard his heavy sigh and his footsteps leaving the door. She hadn't answered him - she didn't trust her voice to speak to be perfectly honest - and call her childish but she wasn't coming out until she had a sincere apology from her husband and he was begging her forgiveness. He'd already been outside three times, banging the door impatiently and demanding she open it and stop being such a child but she hadn't replied. Not until the last time an hour or so ago when she'd called out angrily; "If you're 'ere to say sorry then say it - otherwise fuck off!"

He stormed off then, thumping his fist on the door loudly first and making her jump and swear at him again. And he said _she _was acting like a child!

Sniffing miserably she lifted her head from her arms, stretching a little. To tell the truth she was getting pretty fed up being stuck in here - it wasn't very comfortable sat on the floor against the wall, her back was killing her and her neck was stiff from where she'd had her head in her arms most of the time. She glanced up at the bathtub and sighed heavily. Damn, what she wouldn't give for a hot bath right now - of course she'd have to come out first in order to get the water and that wouldn't do. She was determined to stubbornly stand her ground.

At that moment she head a shuffling outside the door again and her husband's voice once more.

"Come on, you're gonna have to come out sometime." It was quieter and calmer - almost weary now. He waited a few moments but she didn't reply. "Damnit woman - open the damn door!"

"I'm busy!" She spat out.

"Doing what!?"

"Fucking meself!" She spat sarcastically.

He ground his jaw. "That's not funny."

"It wasn't meant to be! I'm such a _slut _that I just can't control meself!" The way her words thickened on the second sentence gave away the fact that she was crying. Again. Still…?

He sighed heavily, leaning on the door. "I didn't mean that." He growled quietly. It was true. He was angry - but damn it - he hadn't meant to hurt her like that; he'd said it without thinking, momentarily forgetting how painful the particular insult was to her.

"Yes you did!" She choked out, followed by a sob. "Leave me alone!"

"I didn't - it just slipped out -"

"You do mean it! Or why would you say it!? Everyone thinks it - _you _think it - why should I be surprised!? It's bloody true ain't it!?"

"No! Of course it's not true!"

"It is!" She cried, sniffing loudly - before everything started pouring out. "God - I was screwing you out of wedlock wasn't I!? I nearly 'ad a bloody affair when I was married to Albert - and when I were with 'im I used to fuck meself when I was alone at night - and I still do it sometimes even though I 'ave you now - an' I 'ave sex wi' you - and enjoy it - far more than is right -"

"Will you just open the bloody door!?" He suddenly roared.

And she didn't know why - perhaps it was the fact that he sounded like he would break down in a moment - or the fact that she had talked herself into such a state that she couldn't be locked in there on her own for another moment - but she rose from the floor and wrenched the door open.

What Sweeney did surprised her fully - "Damn it woman!" And he stepped forwards and pulled her to him, hugging her fiercely.

Before she could utter a 'what!?" He spoke gruffly into her hair. "You're not a slut - there's nothing wrong with what we do - it's all the other women that have a problem if they can't enjoy what their husbands give them -"

"Like Lucy?" She spat into his shirt through tears, before she could help it.

Sucking in a sharp breath he ignored her comment and continued. "I promise you - you're not - and we're married now and none of anything matters anyway."

It was a moment before she spoke thickly. "Then why did ya say it - why were ya so mad with me!?"

"Because can't you see how hurtful it is to find out you do that - that you don't get enough from me so you have to satisfy yourself -"

"Stop it! It's not -" She broke off, glancing uneasily towards the living room where Toby and Jimmy were. "Look can we not do this here?" Sweeney frowned but nodded, pulling her down towards their bedroom and closing the door firmly behind them. He raised en eyebrow.

What, was he expecting an explanation - an apology!? She frowned. "You 'ave no right to be acting like this - no right to behave 'ow ya did! You're being stupid!"

"So you wouldn't mind at all if you saw me - me -" he faltered, spluttering slightly.

"No!" She said, incredulous. "I don't bloody care what you do! Why would I!?"

He was staring at her with the same disbelief on his face. "Because - why should you - you shouldn't need to do that - you shouldn't want to - you're…I'm the only one who should touch you!"

She was gaping at him. "But Sweeney it's _me! _It's meself! And it wasn't like that at all - who d'ya think I were thinking of!? _You _ya stupid idiot! I done it cause I wanted _you!"_ Her voice dropped to a calmer tone as she forced herself to stop shouting. "Only you. You should know that by now."

He blinked at her. "Me?" He uttered stupidly.

She threw her hands in the air. "Yes you - 'eavens above Sweeney! I dunno why you're so paranoid lately! It's doing me 'ead in!"

"Paranoid!?"

"Yes! Paranoid! I can't do anything - you get angry with me so easily and it -" suddenly to his horror she was choking back tears again - "and it really upsets me!"

He could only stare at her as she took deep breaths, struggling not to cry, her gaze fixed on the floor.

Regaining control of herself after a few moment of awkward silence she took a deep breath and looked back up at him, saying quietly. "Why was you so mad? You nearly broke the bloody door down - and you looked like you seen a bloody ghost when you barged in 'ere - it ain't that bloody terrible - "

"Because!" He suddenly said. "_Because_ when I heard you - when I heard you - _moaning - _like that - I thought….I thought…"

"You thought _what!?" _She suddenly fumed.

"What do you think!" He snapped.

Anger and hurt were written all over her face as her jaw dropped. "'Ow could you think that!?"

"Well what would you assume - I hear my wife making the noises she makes when we're having sex - what the bloody hell am I meant to think!?" He spat.

"Not that I was with another man! I can't believe you!" She raged. "You actually _think_ I would _do that!?"_

"Look - I heard -"

She gasped loudly suddenly, cutting him off. "So you don't think I'm a slut - but the first thing you assume when you - you hear _that _- is that I'm with another man!?"

Sweeney went to shout back - but realised she'd got him. What could he say to that? He stared at her mutely and watched her eyes fill up with tears.

"I can't believe that it would even enter your mind that I'd betray you - let alone be what you'd assume…" She whispered, her voice raw.

_Oh…shit_. He thought as he felt his stomach drop. "I'm…sorry…" He whispered back.

She shook her head, wiping at her cheeks. "You can say you're sorry but that won't change the fact that I know that's what ya thought. I'll always know what ya think o' me now Sweeney." She said quietly before turning and walking from the room.

"What - where are you going!?"

She didn't answer.

"Where are you going!?" He demanded again as he strode after her and grabbed her arm as she reached the shop.

"Out!" She shrugged him off roughly and marched towards the door.

"Out - are you crazy!? It's dark out, you can't go out there alone at night!"

"Upstairs then!" She cried before her voice dropped to a whisper. "I just can't be anywhere near you right now." And she was gone.

* * *

_Bring on the drama! XD Gosh I just can't help myself._

_Hope everybody liked it, not sure how long the next one will take cause I'm a bit busy this weekend and it's quite a crucial chap too so it's gonna need to be right. I'll try not to leave you too long though loves, hopefully have it up early next week! :)_

_Love for everybody yay! XD_

_Replies to un-signed in reviews:_

_Sarah Brihene - Sweeney was always crazy lovee :P Hehe glad you liked it thanks hun love ya! (huggles)_

_CassieLestrange - Thought it must have been you ;) Thanks for the review hun glad you liked the chap! (hugs)_

_Jml - Thanks so much love! I'm glad you thought so. Woo for being an only child (high fives) hehe ;) (hugs)_

_Jamie - I love the Jamie too! :P Hehe aww Bella that's so cute! That sure wa sa nice birthday present! XD Thanks for the review love! (huggles)_

_Twitch - Aw no laptop at weekends!? That's awful, I would die lmao. Glad you liked the chap hun, thank for the review! (hugs)_

_Miranda - LOL damn computers huh? No I didn't actually get two from you anyway haha. Aw bless ya falling asleep reading PA trying to catch up lmao! I'm glad you liked it enough to do that hun lol! XD Anyway I'm so glad you liked the chap hun, scandalous indeed - but then isn't everything when it comes to these two!? Hehe thanks so much, love ya! (hugs)_

_A Rose By Another Other Name36 - Lmao! Poor Mrs. Lovett's lip indeed! Wow you live in Sweden that's cool! J Glad you liked the chap and didn't think it was too all over the place lol XD Thanks so much love! (huggles)_

_Blueberrymuffin - Wow you sure have a big family! I'm glad you liked the chap love! Thank you for the review! (hugs)_

_Thyme - Lol yeah, I'll remind Sweeney not to leave his razor at the scene of the crime again, silly man ;) I know I know I'm far too cruel with the cliffhangers :P Thanks so much for the review love, glad you liked the chap (huggles)_

_Lizzy - LMAO aw bless your little sister sounds so cute aha I can't believe she loves Sweeney Todd that's a little worrying LOL! Thanks so much hun, glad you thought the length was good too! XD Love ya! (huggles)_

_Thea - Thanks so much! I'm glad to hear it, I know poor poor Sweeney huh? ;) (hugs)_

_Cheyenne - Aw happy birthday for the other day hun! (Wow it seems to me loads of people have birthdays in October lol!) LMAO yes it would have been better if Sweeney hadn't been such a dummy and killed him! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the last two chaps love! Thanks for the rveiew love ya! (hugs)_

_Catseyes8588 - Hehe I know right, with those two it is the norm lol ;) Thanks so much for the review hun! Love ya (hugs)_


	7. Chapter 7

_Hiya peopels, thanks so much to all of you who wished me a happy birthday! It was, despite the fact I'm getting too old lmao. Winnywriter even wrote me a wonderful little birthday fic, y'all should check it out, it's hilarious! XD_

_Uhmm I'm pretty sure there was something else I was gonna say but my minds just blanked O.o…Anyway…here's chapter seven! Ooh seven's my lucky number XD_

_But before you read…I'm warning you about this chapter. Seriously. Remember what I said in my first A.N._

Mrs. Lovett wrenched the shop door open and banged it firmly shut behind her, wanting to rip those bloody merrily tingling bells off of it and smash them into pieces. She headed towards the stairs - before she paused at the foot of them, breathing hard, forcing painful tears back. She didn't want to go up there. That was his place. _He_ was up there. She needed air, she needed to calm down, she needed to breath.

Well fuck him, he couldn't tell her what to do. Deciding firmly, she turned and marched off into the night.

She didn't know where she was going but she was walking briskly, wanting to at least feel like she was getting away, even though she knew she wasn't and him and the pain and problems would still be there when she returned.

When she returned. Yes, when. She wondered if one of these days, that when would ever turn to if. How many more times could her hurt her? She knew the answer to that. She knew the question _should _be how many times would she return to him, and she also knew it wasn't.

Forgive him. Yes, well. She would, she supposed, eventually. Or maybe not so much forgive him as push it to the side, bury it with all the rest of the hurt he'd caused her, and try to forget about it. But at the current moment she couldn't even consider such a thing.

There were times when she was so happy with him, and everything felt so right, that even if a bad memory did pop into her head, she was able to brush it off lightly, and actually tell herself it didn't matter, that she had forgiven him, because she loved him, and their love was all that mattered. She truly believed that he loved her back, as much as she did him but…why did he keep hurting her?

Perhaps that was why - perhaps the fact she loved him so much was why he _could _hurt her so easily and deeply. In fact she was sure it was. It _hurt _to be called such things by other people, folk that didn't matter, that she hardly knew - it hurt her a lot to know what others though of her but - she could live with it. She'd even been managing to really not _care _as much as she used to lately - but to know that _he _thought such things…

She had thought he knew how much she loved him - in fact she was certain he did - so how could he think she would do such a thing? Did he really think so lowly of her?

Hot tears spilled form her eyes again and she wiped angrily at her cheeks, struggling back sobs as she hurried along the street, glad of the dark so nobody could see her upset - not that there were many about at this time anyway.

Like she'd said to him, he'd been getting increasingly paranoid lately - just look how he'd behaved with the bloody beadle earlier - not to mention any man who so much as looked at her these days - what - he was actually worried they were threats to him?

She sniffed harshly, hurt gripping her chest. How could he think such things - how could it even enter his head for one moment that she would ever betray him - !? That she would ever, _ever _be with another man??

She collapsed against a wall next to a small alleyway, leaning heavily on it as her body was taken over with harsh sobs she fought against, breathing quickly, almost hyperventilating as she tried to force the tears to stop pouring from her eyes.

A voice suddenly jolted her out of her distress; "Y'alright there love?"

She snapped her head up, he wide, red eyes, meeting another pair of piercing blue ones, set in a round sweaty face belonging to the man that stood a few feet from her.

She sniffed, wiping at her eyes quickly and turning to move along. "Yes - I'll be fine thanks sir." She muttered quickly.

"Ya don't look fine." He said.

"Really, thanks for yer concern sir but I'm alright." She said quickly, sniffing again as she started to move along. The man stepped into her path. His eyes bore into hers and her stomach lurched at his intense stare. "'Scuse me sir - if I could pass -" She said firmly, stepping to the side to walk past him.

He stepped to the side too. She froze. A leering smirk twisted his mouth. "Now what's a pretty little thing such as yerself doing out 'ere all alone at night in the first place? He took in her fine elegant dress. "You sure don't _look _like a whore…"

She gasped, her jaw dropping. "That's cause I'm not a bloody whore! Now if you'll excuse me, me 'usband is waiting for me at 'ome!" She snapped, moving to pass him. He blocked her path.

"Home so early? Now…what would be the fun in that?" He mocked, his eyes glinting. She swallowed hard, panic gripping her, her heart was staring to pound.

"Sir I suggest you let me pass or I'll be late back and no doubt he'll be out here looking for me -"

"Well - what was it you was doing out 'ere all alone in the first place eh? In such an upset…" A taunting grin curled his lips. "I'm thinking that maybe yer_ husband _won't be looking for ya after all…"

Her eyes widened and she made to dart past him quickly but he blocked her path again, grabbing her arm this time.

"Let go of me!" She spat, trying to wrench her arm from his grasp. He kept a tight grip on it and flashed her a leering grin.

"Your 'usband's' not 'ere now is 'e?" He mocked. "I think maybe you and me could 'ave us some fun, what you say lady?"

Panic and fury bubbling up she tried to wrench her arm away again but when he kept hold of it she made to bring her knee up into collision with his groin -

Before she could even register him grabbing her, she'd been dragged into the alleyway and thrown to the floor, hitting the ground hard as she shrieked in shock and another body covered hers -

She screamed.

A hand slammed over her mouth. "Scream all you want, it only makes it better." A raspy, taunting voice in her face. Panic filled her from the core - the man on top of her was at least twice her size and clearly intent on only one thing -

He was grabbing roughly at her skirts.

This couldn't be happening - !

His hand left her mouth to tug at his own belt - "No! Get off me - don't you fucking dare!" She cried, struggling hard, thumping and shoving at his chest -

With an angry growl he grabbed both her tiny arms in his huge strong hand and pinned them still between them as she choked out a gasped sob of panic -

"Me 'usband's gonna kill ya!" She shrieked hysterically at him. He laughed.

"That's what they all say lady!"

_Yeah but they're just saying that. _Her husband would, _actually_ kill him of course. He would hunt him down and not rest until he was writhing in pain with his razor rammed into his neck and he'd leave it there and let the fountain of blood it had caused give him a slow, agonising death and she would watch every second of it…

She thought these frantic thoughts, forces these images of her attacker's neck pouring with blood as his face twitched in agony as he grinned maliciously down at her, pinning her down beyond escape, fumbling with his belt and forcing her skirts up and her legs apart as she cursed and screamed and struggled frantically.

And then he - _no! _He was inside her -! And she screamed Sweeney's name in her mind as he shoved into her because she had thought there would never be anyone else inside her like this. She sobbed desperately for the wrongness of it - the desperate panicked feelings of betrayal and pain she felt flood through her from this.

And _shit - God _- but it _hurt_…it was the most painful thing she'd ever felt - she could feel her body resisting so hard - and of course she knew with sickness that this only made it better for him - he rammed himself into her tight resisting core repeatedly as her body cried out in protest with every cruel thrust.

She'd never felt so wrong, so dirty in all her life. The feel of him inside her, the feel of every jerky, hard thrust made her want to be sick until she was sure she would - and she had to force down the bile she felt rising up in her throat threatening to come out, not helped by his foul breath in her face - she coughed and gagged, choking on her sobs and cries.

He laughed. The filthy bastard laughed at her, a malicious, sadistic laugh before he shoved his mouth onto hers to quieten her hacking - and then she wanted to be sick even more - and she wrenched her mouth away from his and spat in his face -

All that earned her was a yell of anger and a painful hand in her hair, her head yanked back as he forced his mouth onto hers again.

This couldn't be happening. This couldn't, it just couldn't - and God if he killed her when he was done…the last thing she'd have said to Sweeney was in anger…and her little Jimmy…_no!_

She sobbed and struggled harder, shoving against his chest and screaming and kicking her legs trying desperately to force his heavy stinking body off hers. She was sure someone must have heard her screams they were so loud - whoever it was likely didn't care…another terrible thing happening in the dark London night…it wasn't their business.

Her attacker obviously realised that somebody must be hearing her too because he slammed a sweaty hand over her mouth suddenly and her cries were muffled until she bit down hard on his flesh and he yelled - and struck her across the face.

"You little bitch - shut up and keep still - or this'll be worse than it is!"

Something sensible in the back of her mind told her to do as he said - but she couldn't get the front of her mind or her body to listen as still she struggled against him - she couldn't let this happen and do _nothing_ to try to stop it - even though it was already too late.

With an angry growl and an, "I told you to keep still you fucking whore!" He pulled out of her momentarily to shove her roughly over onto her stomach and pin her there, her arms and body pinned hard to the ground by his, completely immobilised as he forced her legs apart once more and roughly shoved into her again. She was so exhausted and defeated by now she could do nothing but cry hard, desperate sobs as he finished the job, her mind screaming nothing but her husband's name over and over again, and somewhere in the back of it half wishing he _would _kill her when he was done because she knew she was ruined forever now.

She was barely even aware of what happened after, just that one moment he was collapsed on top of her and the next she had shoved him off with strength she didn't know she possessed, and while he was still dazed she'd grabbed hold of his disgusting hair and slammed his head into the ground. His initial yell was cut short as she banged his head again and again into the hard cobbles, panic, pain and rage fuelling her until she flung herself back from his motionless body, a puddle of blood pooling by his head, and threw up violently onto the ground.

She was still for a moment, leant over the floor, panting and crying hard and shaking so violently she felt she would collapse. She glanced over at him again - she didn't know if he was dead but she couldn't look at him or stay here for a second longer. Scrambling to right her clothes, she dragged herself to her feet, and sobbing openly, blinded by tears, she tore as fast as she could on her weak, shaky legs towards home.

_Owch. That was so hard to write, harder than I expected it to be. I think it's because I love her so much after writing her for so long and it really hurt to write something like this happening to her. :( I kept putting it off and writing the parts after instead lol. Yeah it was hard, and I just read back through it and I absolutely hate it cause it's so horrible…but it's very necessary. _

_Anyway. Sorry if you hate it too. I'll try not to be too long with the next one to make up for it. _

_Replies to un-signed in reviewers: _

_Once a heavenly creature - Baha yeah I think most of us would lmao I know he is such a child at times isn't he? Glad you liked the chap sweetie thank you! (huggels)_

_Thyme - Yes, it looks like he will end up in the eat grinder as well if he carries on like this LOL XD Hehe glad you enjoyed my you tube vid - but I don't have stories on LJ - I don't use it…maybe somebody on there has the same user name as me? Anyway thanks for the review hun! (hugs)_

_Twitch - Haha that made me laugh. Yes she should do one of those - or all three! Lmao. Glad you liked the chap thanks love! (hugs)_

_Miranda - Yeah for some reason 19 sounds so much older than 18 doesn't it! Lol. Yes very different to PA right but I'm glad you think that's in a good way! ;) XD Thanks so much sweetie love ya! (hugs)_

_Veronica - I'm glad you liked the chap hun (and you're caught up now hehe) yes you're right, poor Sweeney is rather tense lately (to say the least lmao) Thanks so much for the review hun! Love ya (huggles)_

_Blueberrymuffin - Hehe I'm glad I gave ya a giggle hun XD Ahh I know, I used up all the random questions I could think of in PA lol I'll ask some more when I think of some ;) Yeah my birthday was great thanks hun! And thank you for the review! Love ya (huggles)_

_Baby Fratelli - Ah I'm glad you've caught up with it all hun and I'm glad you're enjoying it so far! I watched that pretty woman thing on you tube it was really good I loved it! Thank you hun love ya (huggles)_

_Jamie - Interesting LOL yes good way to describe it lmao. Thanks for the review love ya! (hugs)_

_Sarah Brihene - Why yes I think he might be O.o Ta for the review me dear, love ya! (huggles)_

_Jml - Yep he sure did overreact but then this is Sweeney isn't it lmao. Thanks so much hun! Love ya (hugs)_


	8. Chapter 8

_OMG I am -so- sorry that I left you all hnging for so long - and on that awful last chap as well - my bloody internet completely packed in! Turns out it was our sky box interferring with it - after we went and bought a new rooter and everything! I have literally been -dying- without internet for five bloody days and I was so mad it decided to spac out after the worst possible chapter it could!_

_Pft. Well, I'm hoping you're all still here after that last one anyway, (but I actually got more reviews that usual for it so maybe it wasn't as disasterous as I thought it might be lol) practically every single review starts with either 'omg!' or 'oh no!' Lol seriously, go look it's kinda funny actually. And I'm hoping that this ridiculously long one here makes up for the wait - so here's chapter eight..._

_Again, I'm warning you all. This one is not pretty either. _

* * *

The shop door was a blur in front of her as she as struggled through tear tinted vision and with violently shaking hands to find the handle and get it open. Hardly pausing as she stumbled through it and slammed it shut she tore through the shop towards the living room - where she saw Sweeney rise from a chair as she appeared, a stern expression on his face - which quickly changed to one of shock as he saw the state she was in -

She fell into his arms, sobbing helplessly and clinging to him desperately. He gaped down at her, supporting her weight with shock. "Wha - Nellie!?"

"Oh _God_ - !" She wailed into his shirt.

"What is it!? What the bloody hell is wrong!?"

"I -" She took a deep breath, choking back a sob, fully prepared to blurt everything out to him - but…she couldn't. She just couldn't say it…it was almost as if by saying it, it would only make it more real and true than it already was - and it was going to hurt him _so _much - she cried harder.

He held her in shock at her distress. "Look - bloody hell I'm sorry - I'm _sorry_ Nellie I don't -"

"No - no, no not that…" She rambled into his chest. God, she'd totally _forgotten _all of that - it all seemed so trivial now.

He frowned. "Then what?"

"I - I…I'm so sorry, love - I -" She choked out a sob, clinging to him tighter.

"What!? Sorry for what!?"

She shook her head against his chest, wrapping her arms tight round him.

This was right. This was right and that was wrong - so wrong. He'd ruined it - _this…_that bastard had ruined _her_. She suddenly knew what she needed.

Still crying freely she lifted her head and leant up to her press her swollen lips hard to Sweeney's who flinched back in shock.

"What - what's wrong with you woman - why are you crying!?"

She could only shake her head again, suddenly with a purpose. Pulling herself from his arms and grabbing his hand she dragged him blindly towards their bedroom as he demanded explanations for her hysterics but she ignored him, pressing her body against his again when she'd got the door shut. He could feel her whole form shaking hard against him and was still against her frantic kisses and fumbling hands.

"What are you doing - what's _wrong!_?"

He tried to hold her still but she wrapped her arms around his back and pulled him down on top of her on the bed, kissing him again, with so much passion he could do nothing to stop himself kissing her back even as he internally panicked at her inexplicable distress. She was pushing her body against his, rubbing against him, slipping a hand down to feel him, knowing it would take just a little more to get him hard for her - "please," she sobbed thickly against his mouth.

"What -!? You…?" He was still baffled by the way she was acting.

"Please - _please_ - I need this - please - " she sobbed heavily again seeing images of another man on top of her like this and pulled him harder to her, shifting her legs apart to cradle his hips between them, their bodies pressed together.

He tried to hold still, determined to find out the reason for her distress but she had wrenched his trouser fastenings open and was rubbing him to hardness and making him squirm with lust. She dragged her skirt up by which time he was too drunk with lust to notice her torn undergarments as she yanked them off and pushed her hips towards his, panting heavily through her tears.

"Take me - now - do it!" She urged frantically, struggling to block the images in her mind with _his _face close to hers like it should be, desperate to override the feeling of someone else inside her with _him. _He opened his mouth to speak but seeing her distressed state he decided it best to just give her what she obviously needed for whatever reason for now and question later - and pushed himself deep into her.

It hurt her so much from the other man where she'd struggled so frantically and hadn't wanted it at all but she took him deep inside herself, uncaring, just needing him to fill her again and take away the dreadful images and feelings.

She urged his body faster with her own, grunting with the effort and pain, still crying but softer now. "I love you, I love you Sweeney, take me, make me yours…make me yours again" She rambled against his mouth.

"I am…you _are _mine…" He muttered back, dipping his head for a heated kiss.

He thrust deeply into her, their hips grinding together, sweat forming on their bodies and she clung tighter to him to try to still her shaking.

For the first time she felt no physical pleasure from what they were doing, and it hurt her so much - but it was the feel of him inside her as it should be that she needed and she forced herself to give soft cries and moans of pleasure, pretending she felt it, pretending nothing was wrong and she was making love to her husband just like it always was.

And when he spilled into her, holding her tight, she cried, breaking down into another wave of violent sobs against his shoulder because she could still feel so vividly another man doing the same.

Sweeney pulled out of her and rolled onto his side, pulling her with him, holding her as close as he could, stroking her hair as she trembled and cried.

"Please -" he choked out, his voice nearly breaking. "Tell me what's wrong??"

"Sweeney -" She choked out. "I -" She couldn't go on, sobbing harshly again and pressing herself closer to him.

"What!? What is it!?" He urged, shaking her a little.

She had to cry for a while before she could speak again, and thankfully he seemed to realise because he held her silently and let her soak his shirt with her tears, even as it tore him up from the inside out to see her in such a state as he desperately racked his brains to try to think what on earth had got her into the state in the first place - she'd said it wasn't to do with earlier so what!? Had something else happened…? But she'd only been upstairs for an hour, maybe not even that…

Finally her sobs died down to little whimpers and her tears stopped spilling out in floods.

She knew she had to tell him now. She also knew it was going to kill him.

She took a deep shaky breath. "I went out Sweeney," she whispered into his chest. She felt him freeze against her. Another breath. "I -" she felt hot tears well up again, "this…this bloke…I'm so sorry…" she couldn't go on, she felt herself start to tremble violently again, tears pouring down her face once more.

Sweeney's heart stopped, his whole body went rigid. A deathly whisper; "_what_!?"

"I'm sorry!" She cried, her voice thick with her tears.

His heart was hammering, blood was rushing to his ears. "Please…" His voice nearly cracked on the word. "Please - tell me you didn't??"

"Sweeney!" She clung tighter to him, burying her head in his chest. "Sweeney I'm so sorry, I swear I tried to stop 'im - I swear I did but 'e was so strong an' 'e 'urt me so much an' I…I'm sorry!" She was sobbing hard again now, her whole body shaking violently against his.

Sweeney was breathing hard, his head hardly able to process this information, pain shooting through every fibre of his being and Mrs. Lovett was so scared he was never going to say anything she whimpered out apologies over and over, half incoherent rambles against his chest until finally -

"Why the _fuck _did you go out on your own!? How could you let this happen!?"

"I didn't!" She wailed, clutching him tighter, terrified he would push her off, "I _tried, _I swear I tried to stop 'im - I tried to kill 'im after, I bashed his head on the ground, I swear I tried to stop 'im I'm sorry love, I know should never 'ave gone out, I'm sorry Sweeney_, please, _I'm so sorry!"

"Why didn't you stop him - why didn't you bash his fucking head in _before _he got inside you!?" Sweeney roared, trying to wrench himself away from her but finding her to have a vice like grip on him, clinging to him for all she was worth.

She shook and trembled with the force of her sobs, trying desperately to apologise again but being unable to get anything out as she gasped for breath, at the point of hyperventilating -

Sweeney suddenly felt the rage in his head clear as the state of the woman in his arms sank into his consciousness - and guilt and agony washed through him as he stopped thinking about how this made _him_ feel and really realised what she'd actually been through -

Suddenly he was holding her tightly, rocking her firmly, hushing her and kissing her head over and over, pressing her face into his shoulder, stroking her hair and struggling violently against tears of his own.

Thankfully this seemed to calm her distress enough for her to be able to get her breath, only for her to start murmuring apologies again over and over -

"Shh, stop, stop it, please - !"

"But I'm sorry!" She cried, taking another gulp of air.

"_Alright! _Just stop - you can hardly breathe, _stop! _It's done now…"

She quietened, soaking his shirt with her tears until he abruptly pulled back from her, holding her at arms length and demanding suddenly, "are you hurt!?"

She paused before nodding.

His heart was pounding, blood was boiling in his ears and his insides were churning. "Where?" His voice cracked a little on the word.

She sniffed deeply. "Inside," she whispered.

"Oh, _God…_Nellie…and you just - !?"

"I needed to be yours again Sweeney!" She suddenly cried. "No one else was ever supposed to touch me like that, and I - I…"

"Alright, alright," he shushed her, pressing her face into his neck, his arms tight round her as he stroked her hair softly. "It's alright…you are mine, mine and no-one else's - no-one else will ever touch you again - _ever_…"

They were quiet for several more moments save for the sounds of her soft crying before she whispered. "I should never 'ave gone out, never 'ave let it 'appen - !"

"It's done now." He cut her off sharply.

If she had seen how dark Sweeney's eyes were as he held her and how dangerous his expression was, she would probably have been terrified in that instant. "I. Will. Kill. Him." He growled out, his voice so low she barely heard it.

She shook again and pushed closer to him. "…He - I -" She felt another tremble rack her body. "I left 'im, I ran - I didn't check…" She managed to whisper.

"What?" He said, trying to make sense of her rambles.

She was shaking her head now. "There was blood everywhere, I think I must 'ave killed 'im already…"

Both were silent for long moments until Sweeney spoke.

"I wish you'd left him for me…" he growled darkly.

She lifted her head form his neck to look at him. "I don't _know_ if he were dead for sure - I just ran."

His eyes widened in - was the panic or glee!? "Where did you leave him?"

She shivered. "By - it were on Mark Street - just - just down from the Butchers - there's a little alley -" She managed to get out before her voice grew thick with tears once more.

He rose from the bed, grabbing his jacket off the floor and shrugging it on, and whipped a razor from his holster and flipped it open, staring at it with crazed blood-lust in his dark eyes and the most chillingly sadistic smile touching the corners of his mouth. He snapped his eyes up to her wide panicked ones.

"If he's not already dead…I'll make him pay." He growled. A chill ran down her spine as she swallowed. "I'll be back." He muttered, turning to leave.

Panic suddenly filled her. "No!" She shrieked. "Don't leave me! Please don't leave me!"

He looked down into her distressed dark eyes. "Fine - come with me - watch me kill him. Then he'll know why he's dying.

Absolute terror crossed her face and he realised just what he was asking her. She shook her head frantically. "I - I can't - I _can't!"_

He leant down, grabbing hold of her hands. "You can. You should. Watch me kill him - besides, I don't know what he looks like if he's gone from where you left him."

She was still shaking her head, tears flowing down her cheeks. "I - I -"

"You _can. _You'll be with me. You know you'll be fine."

She sniffed deeply, looking down, squeezing her eyes shut - again his disgusting face jumped into her mind - and she quickly tried to force the image she had made herself see when it was happening, of him dying a painful death, into her mind instead -

Finally she nodded. He was right, she needed to watch.

He pulled her up, waiting as she dragged her clothes back together before taking her hand and pulling her from the room.

It didn't surprise him to see Toby up, sitting bolt upright and wide awake on the settee, worry written all over his face.

"What's going on, what 'appened!?" Toby demanded, Mrs. Lovett's red eyes and dishevelled appearance filling him with even more worry after hearing the sounds of her distressed sobs and their muffled panicked-sounding conversation through the walls.

Mrs. Lovett looked down, away from Toby's eyes, bringing a shaky hand up to wipe at her cheeks.

Sweeney cleared his throat. "Your mum was attacked Toby." He said darkly, watching as the boy's eyes widened and he jumped to his feet. "We're going out to find him. Keep an eye on Jimmy alright?"

Toby nodded quickly. "'Course sir - m-mum?"

She shook her head quickly, not looking at him, striding from the room.

Sweeney shared a worried glance with Toby for a second before he followed after her.

"Mr Todd!"

He paused and turned "What?"

Toby swallowed. "Are ya gonna kill 'im sir?"

Sweeney thought it best not to inform him that his mum may already have. He nodded once. "Yes."

Toby's eyes darkened far beyond his years. "Make it hurt." He said quietly.

Sweeney stared at him for a moment before he nodded again. "It will." He assured him, and he was gone.

In a dark alleyway, a lone figure shifted and groaned, brining his hand up to the agonising spot of pain on his head. Sticky. That little bitch…

His head felt like it would burst the throbbing in it was so bad…he shifted his head, blinking his eyes painfully open. Red glinted on the cobbles in the weak moonlight…she must have nearly killed him - !

It was a struggle but he managed to heave himself over to the wall and into a sitting position. He sat panting and trying to block out the pain for several moments before he managed to shift and do his trousers up, before brining a hand up to his head again.

There was a lot of blood. He felt a little twinge of panic - he didn't want to die! What if he bled to death!? He needed help, he knew that but he knew nobody would take notice of him shouting - not that he would be able to through this head anyway -

A shuffling noise and a dark shadow made him snap his head sharply up - immediately regretting it and groaning again. A dark figure stood a few feet away from him, his face hidden by a shadow yet he knew he was staring at him intently.

"Oh thank the bloody Lord - I need - need help - I - I were attacked - me 'eads bleeding - 'elp me, I need to get to a doctor!"

The man didn't make a sound, just stared. He took a step closer and he paled as his face came half out of shadow. The man's eyes were so dark.

"S - sir!? Please! 'Elp me!" He pleaded.

The man laughed shortly then - but it was the cruellest chuckle he had ever heard. "Help you!?"

He swallowed hard but tried again - "I need - need help! Me 'ead -"

Sweeney's eyes darkened - if possible - further and narrowed suddenly - he would bloody help him alright - and he lunged forwards suddenly, sending a hard blow to the man's head, making him cry out as it smacked back against the wall. Sweeney let him feel his fury, let his rage loose as he laid into him, kicking and sending blow after blow to his disgusting body as he grunted and cried out in pain.

He stopped suddenly, forcing himself to breathe and be still - he didn't want to kill him like this - that would be far too easy a death for him. He waited several moments as he caught his breath and the blood rush in his head simmered down a little, staring down at the man as he groaned in pain, twisting his head to look up at Sweeney with panic and agony in his eyes.

Sweeney's eyes shone. How good it felt to see that look, how satisfying to know he was now as terrified as he'd made his wife. He drew a razor form his holster, and slowly flipped it open, taking a moment to smile at the silver as it caught the moonlight. His cruel smile flicked to the now trembling and sweating man who's breaths were coming out ragged. His eyes darted from Sweeney's terrifyingly intense gaze to the gleaming razor held tight in his hand.

Sweeney quirked a lip, and spoke again, his voice deathly calm. "Would you like to know why you're about to die?"

The man's eyes widened. "D-die!?"

"Yes, die." He uttered. "I am going to kill you." His voice was so calm, too calm for the words it made.

The man stuttered and panted, sweat pouring down his forehead, mixing with the blood as his eyes darted madly around for an escape. There was none. It wasn't like he was capable of moving anyway and he knew it. He was at the mercy of the madman stood over him, lethal blade in hand.

"Was that a why?" Sweeney asked, taking a step closer to him.

The man flinched and nodded quickly, his eyes pleading and confused.

Sweeney's glare darkened. "Nellie!" He called out without looking away from the other man's ,eyes. He watched them snap to behind him.

Mrs. Lovett appeared at the end of the alley from behind the corner. His eyes widened and his mouth opened. She stood there, still, staring at him. Although her tear-stained cheeks still glinted slightly in the moonlight her face was almost emotionless. The three people were still in painful tension for a few moments before, on legs she was willing desperately not to give way, she walked slowly towards the two men.

"Look -" He said to Sweeney, starting to panic - "She was begging for it - she - she tricked me!" He pointed a trembling finger at her. "I paid 'er then she didn't give me none so I -"

"I don't think calling my _wife_ a _whore_ is going to help you!" Sweeney suddenly roared making him wince and cower.

Mrs. Lovett came to a stop behind Sweeney, looking down at the terrified man. If she hadn't felt so numb staring at the face of her attacker, she would have laughed, enjoying immensely watching him panic and tremble in fear and pain as he had made her do.

Images filled her head again and she felt another wave of pain wash over her - she looked at his face and felt terror fill her once more - it was all so fresh in her mind -

She clutched a hold of Sweeney's Jacket with one hand. He flinched a little at the touch, jolted momentarily out of his trance until he realised it was her and reached a hand out , pushing her more behind him, squaring his body between hers and the man on the floor.

The terrified man tried again. "I'm sorry alright!" He gasped out. "I didn't mean to do it - 'ad too much to drink I 'ave - I - I'd never do a thing like that normally, I swear!"

"Shut up!" Sweeney suddenly roared, and the man was quiet, a pathetic whimper escaping his lips. Sweeney paused suddenly, turning his head just slightly in Mrs. Lovett's direction.

"Anything you'd like to say to this piece of shit before I deal him more pain than he ever thought possible?"

She sucked in a sharp breath and shook her head once. "Just kill 'im." She said quickly, forcing herself to lock eyes with the terrified man as she uttered the dark words.

Crazed violent glee filled Sweeney's eyes before he barked out, "As you wish my dear!"- and stepping forwards he suddenly rammed his razor deep into the nape of his disgusting neck.

The most sickening cry of agony rang out - a raspy gasp of pain accompanied by a piercing howl as blood flowed from the wound. Sweeney yanked the blade out - only to plunge it in again, deeper, making a second hole in the nape of his neck -

Mrs. Lovett watched, backing away a little as tears she couldn't control streamed down her face. She only wished this could bring her the relief and pleasure it should. Sweeney twisted his blade, rammed in by his collar bone and he cried out, his voice nearly gone now, his body twitching violently in pain - she knew he was avoiding killing him outright on purpose, sure to stab where it would do nothing immediately but cause excruciating, unbearable pain.

Suddenly Sweeney yanked his razor form his neck again and froze. "Nellie come here," he muttered quickly.

"Wha - !?"

"_Now!"_

She stumbled the couple of steps towards him, her eyes not leaving the man writhing and moaning in pain on the floor as his wounds poured blood.

Sweeney turned briefly to yank her to him, pulling her round in front of him so she was facing the agonised man and he held her body tight to his, an arm locked around her waist. With the other he pushed his razor into her hand and took it in his own.

"There's nothing so sweet as revenge my love!" He growled into her ear in cold, adrenalin fuelled excitement -

And he plunged her hand with the razor into his neck and slowly, harshly, dragged it across, letting her watch as together they brought an end to him, splattering them in blood, making his eyes roll and glaze over and body convulse and mouth gurgle blood until he was still.

She twisted in his grasp, throwing her arms around his neck and sobbing openly into his chest. He held her, still, numbed by the release of the kill.

It was a few moments before he managed to mutter in a low voice, "we better get out of here."

She nodded and let him lead her away, sparing once last hateful glance at the bloody mess on the cobbles.

They ghosted through the streets together, more as one than two people, both blood splattered and blank, stern faced although one was tear stained and anguished too, both minds reeling from the numbness of this bittersweet revenge instead of the joy they thought they should feel.

Sweeney froze as he saw a couple of whores turn the corner onto the street just ahead and dragged his wife into the nearest alleyway, pinning her body to the darkened wall with his.

She just managed to rasp a confused, "huh?"

"We're covered in blood pet." Sweeney muttered in a low tone in her ear as he saw the whores strolling past the alley, sparing them a glance and roll of their eyes.

When Sweeney glanced back at her he saw she was crying again, silent tears tracking down her cheeks, her eyes closed tightly. His chest tightened. How much could one woman cry in one night?

"S'alright," he muttered. "Let's get home."

Toby watched the blood-splattered couple stumbled through the door, Sweeney all but carrying his poor mum. He uttered not a word but gave the stoic-faced man the tiniest of nods as he spared him a glance.

Sweeney knew they needed to wash but he didn't think either had the emotional strength to perform such a mundane task right now. Instead he pulled her tattered, blooded clothes from her and set her on the bed, stripping himself and sliding in beside her silently. He half thought that maybe he shouldn't touch her but she pressed her shivering body to his before he could process that thought very far and he wrapped his strong arms around her and held her tightly.

She let out a little whimper, squeezing her eyes shut against the image, the memory that wouldn't go away. She clutched him tighter. "Love me Sweeney," she begged him quietly.

"I do love you."

"No," she whispered her voice shaky, "I mean…_love _me…" She slid a leg over his hip, pushing her body flush against his to show him what she meant.

His body went rigid against hers. "I don't think that's a good idea." He said carefully.

"Please," she whimpered, placing a kiss to his shoulder where her head rested. "Please I need this…"

He was still, unsure what to do for another moment before she was pleading with him again through her tears, her desperate voice breaking his heart so he leant over her and took her as she asked, forcing himself to move slowly and deeply, to kiss her with soft passion and hold her tightly and_ love _her, as she'd told him to.

It hadn't helped, she'd cried harder afterwards and he'd felt guilty from the inside out even as she repeated over and over that it wasn't that, it wasn't his fault though her tears.

"Shh love…." He hushed her softly as she sobbed quietly into his chest. "He's dead now. And we hurt him far more than he hurt you." She choked in another breath. "He's dead. It's _over_. He's dead." He reassured her of this fact for a long time until she finally cried herself to sleep, completely unaware that his reassurances were doing nothing to help and that he was totally misunderstanding the reason for her distress.

* * *

_Okay lovies I know this was pretty intense, and if you're gonna say too much I don't want to hear it. You were warned. Overdramatic is the way I roll baby, you should know by now I don't do anything by half ;)_

_Don't worry, plenty written for the next part, I'll try not to be too long finishing and posting it. _

_:)_

_Replies to un-signed in reviews:_

_Leanna - Thank you very much sweetie, I__'__m lad you thought I did a good job of capturing her emotions which is what I was trying to focus on __J__ Love ya hun (huggles)_

_Catseyes - (I love that you think of this as a __'__movie__'__ lol ;)) Yes inense is certainly wat iw as going for, thank you for the review love! (hugs)_

_Lizzy - no I don__'__t bloody forgive you! LOL of course I do love __J__ I__'__m just glad you__'__re still reading and enjoying __J__ Haha yes I think a body to hack and a bottle of gin would definitely be what she__'__d need lmao. Thanks so much for the review hun love ya (hugs)_

_Odette - Aw sorry you didn__'__t have a very nice chap to come back to lol I__'__m glad you still liked it though regardless. Thanks so much for the review and for the late birthday wish! XD Love ya (huggles)_

_Thyme - yes I did promise you a dark story, lol you can see how I meant it now right? Poor mrs Lovett indeed, I__'__m glad you liked how I made her feelings the main focus, that was exactly my thought on it too how it doesn__'__t need to be too graphic and such. Ah thanks so much for recommending my stories on LJ love! I__'__m honoured XD Thank you for the lovely review sweetie, love ya (hugs)_

_Sarah brihene - I know right!? Lol thankies as always love! Love ya ya hooka haha (hugs)_

_Blueberrymuffin - Eek! Lol. Yes poor Mrs. Lovett __L__ thank you or the review hun (even if it was slightly threatening lmao!) (huggles)_

_Twitch - LOL that__'__s probably not unlikely lol. Poor mrs. Lovett indeed __L__ Thanks for the review hun! (hugs)_

_Jamie - LOL! XD Indeed. Aw say hi to bella back! Thanks for the review love! (hugs)_

_Jml - Yes you__'__re right about both things, it__'__s dreadful - but, as you put it, it provides great material to work with __J__ thanks so much for the review love! (huggles)_

_Veronica - Yes I know it was awful but you__'__re right it does serve an important purpose, like I__'__d do something like that to her without reason lol. Thanks so much for the review love! hugs _

_Cheyenne - Thanks for the belated birthday wish hun! XD I don__'__t know how I could do that to Mrs. Lovett lol, it nearly killed me you know. Also as you__'__ve probably seen now, she didn__'__t kill him see, so hopefully he__'__s suffered enough for your liking now ;) Thanks for the review love! (hugs)_

_Miranda - Yeah I know it was pretty horrible, I didn__'__t like writing it either like I said - but I promise it was very necessary and I hope you like the rest love. Thanks for the review hun! (hugs)_


	9. Chapter 9

_Okay so you wouldn't believe I've been trying to update this since I came on here at about 8pm would you? (It's now 4am) Granted I had a lot of /distraction/ -cough- but I actually have been mostly review-replying and chapter-working-on most of the night. Gosh this takes a lot of time up lol, good thing I have so much fun doing it (and good thing I don't start work until the afternoon tomorrow hehe lie-ins are nice XD) _

_Just wanted to say a quick thank you here for all the encouragement and support you guys give me, like I said this has been a little difficult to write and I've been very unsure about it but (most of) you seemed to love it! XD You've no idea how much you guys spur me on, honestly I would never never be able to write this without you lot because I really need the encouragement and reassurance to keep me going, and for some reason you all seem to give it to me by the bucket-load LOL much love to you all! _

_And I bring you chapter 9..._

* * *

Morning found her husband waking her gently with a stern face from an uneasy sleep she had only managed to fall into from exhaustion. It was a few seconds before her mind processed the horrible feeling in her stomach and the reason her head was pounding and her eyes sore -

Sweeney was silent as she flung her head over the side of the bed and heaved. Luckily there was nothing left in her stomach for her to bring anything up but still she coughed and gagged for a moment as everything came flooding painfully back.

When she sat herself gingerly up, panting a little her pulled her out of bed, wrapping a robe round her and leading her from the room muttering something about a bath.

She didn't know if Sweeney had expected her to want to work today or not but he hadn't seemed surprised when she'd muttered about getting some pies in ready for later and had hurried off down to the bake house.

It smelt worse than normal down there - she caught site of the two bodies under the hatch. Of course - she'd spent yesterday evening locked in the bathroom instead of seeing to the meat like she usually did. She let out a heavy sigh - but was actually somewhat glad there was plenty of work for her to do, and it wasn't long before she was hacking into the dead bodies with more enthusiasm than she ever had before.

It must have been about lunchtime when he came looking for her.

"Oh -" he said as he saw her collecting the bones and unwanted body parts off the floor and the worktable. "Didn't realise there were bodies to see to, would have given you a hand." He muttered.

She tossed the bits in the far corner, moving back over to wipe the work table down. "Well what did ya _think_ I were doing down 'ere all this time?"

Sweeney shrugged, his dark eyes watching her carefully as she avoided his. "Thinking, perhaps…I dunno, thought you might have wanted to be alone."

She froze. _Thinking. Well, yes, thanks, _she thought bitterly. She'd been doing a marvellous job of _not _thinking for a couple of hours actually - and now the memories and feelings and pain hit her hard again -

Sweeney's eyes widened as she burst into tears in front of him and he moved tentatively over to pull her to him. How much could one small woman cry in such a short period of time?

She clutched fistfuls of his shirt tightly, drawing in a deep gasping breath. "I need you Sweeney," she finally mumbled after a minute.

He frowned a little, not sure what she meant - she was wrapped round him right now wasn't she? "You've got me," he muttered into her hair.

She pressed him closer to her, slipping one of her small, shaking hands down between their bodies and leaning up to kiss him, her mouth wet with her tears and _then _he realised what she meant.

Afterwards, when he straightened and did his trousers up, he noticed how tightly her eyes were squeezed shut as she lay panting on the worktable and his insides lurched a little at the pain written all over her face.

"Are you alright?" He asked quietly. What kind of question was that?

Slowly, she shook her head before opening her eyes and pulling herself up, smoothing her skirts back down.

He didn't know what to say or do with her. "You will be." He told her firmly. She looked down at her lap, fiddling with her skirt.

Finally she said, "I don't know 'ow you can deal with this - ow you've forgiven me so easily," she mumbled.

Sweeney's eyes darkened and he was silent. She looked up at him suddenly and noticed his expression. "L-love?" She questioned, her brow furrowing.

He set his jaw. "I never said I had. You know this was your fault. It would never have happened if you hadn't gone out like I told you."

Tears welled up in her big brown eyes and her chest tightened. She looked down again as they stared to spill. He was right, she knew that, she didn't deserve his forgiveness - but she'd thought she had it…he'd been acting so…so _nice, _he'd been looking after her, comforting her - she just assumed he'd forgiven her for going out and considered what happened not her fault. Of course not. How could he forgive something like this?

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"I know you are. It still happened." his voice was so cold suddenly.

She sniffed hard. "I love you."

"I know."

She looked up at him suddenly, her eyes full of pain. "Please tell me you still love me…?"

A flash of - annoyance or anger? Crossed his face. "Of course I bloody do. If I didn't it wouldn't be a fucking problem would it?" He spat.

"I never thought - never meant - I tried I swear -"

"I know you never _meant_ for it happen you stupid woman! I'm sure it never even entered your stupid head that it might - if it had then maybe you wouldn't have wandered off in the middle of London on your own in the dead of night like I'd bloody told you not to!" His voice had risen as he'd gone on until he finished, breathing hard, his eyes livid.

"Please don't!" She choked out.

"Why not!? You can't handle being told because you know it's true - is that it!?"

"Yes!" She cried. "Yes, it is! I know it's my fucking fault - I know it's all my fault - an' I have to bloody live with myself with what I done to ya - to us - I have to go the rest of me bloody life knowing I was with someone else when you were meant to be the only one forever more - all because I wandered off on me own after you'd _told _me not to, like the bloody idiot that I am -"

"Well why did you _go_ then!?" he cut her off, not really hearing what she'd been yelling.

"Because I were upset!" She cried. "Because you upset me - I couldn't stand to be anywhere near you - God - do you know 'ow much you 'urt me!? Maybe if I weren't fucking crying so much I would 'ave seen 'im coming -"

"So it's my fault!?" He fumed.

"No! That ain't what I'm saying! I'm saying it's your fault I were upset in the first place -"

"Then it is what you're saying!"

"It ain't!"

"You're saying it was my fault you went out - so you're saying it was my fault it happened!"

"I'm not! I'm just saying -"

"You are! Just admit that you're blaming _me_ for this!"

"Fine! Alright fine! It is your fault! It's _your _fucking fault for being such a bastard to me that I was out in the middle of London alone, crying, at night in the first place! It's all your fault! It's _your _fault I got _raped _Sweeney!"

Rage boiled inside him furiously and the urge to smack her across the face was so strong that he had to spin from her and drive his fist forcefully into the oven with a yell. She jumped and gasped, holding a hand to her mouth, her eyes wide.

Intense pain shot though his hand and up his arm, momentarily wiping his mind of his rage as he swore profusely.

"I didn't mean that, love - I -"

"Shut. Up." He ground out through gritted teeth, bending over in pain as he clutched his hand to his body, hissing loudly.

She didn't listen and was pleading and apologising still but the pain from his knuckles was so intense he couldn't even hear her - it was shooting through his fingers and up his hand and arm making his eyes water. He looked at the bloody mess he'd made of his knuckles and noticed the odd bumps they had turned into. He swore loudly again. Wonderful. He'd broken his hand.

Mrs. Lovett seemed to notice at the same time as him because she gasped suddenly and flew to him, taking his arm and staring at his bleeding hand with worry all over her face. "Love I think you've broken your hand!" She gasped. Her wrenched his arm out of her grasp.

He fixed her with a livid glare making her reel backwards and after a couple of seconds he turned and strode angrily from the bake house, the knuckles of his other hand turning white with his grip on his injured arm.

It must have been a good ten minutes he sat still in his chair, clutching his wrist tightly before he could actually process any thought save, "shit this hurts."

When he managed to detach his mind momentarily from the pain to replay the event in his head he felt a little anger bubble up again, along with something else…was that regret maybe…?

He'd been so close to hitting her. He'd wanted to, so much - thinking about what she'd done almost made him want to now - and then especially as she was screaming about it being _his _fault - !

And what would that have done to her? No, now he was calmed and could think about it properly he was glad he'd managed to restrain himself - at the cost of his hand of course.

A part of him was still saying she would deserve it but - he knew she'd been through enough. It was it's own punishment, and he also knew that, angry as he was at her for being so bloody stupid in the first place, he would have to help her get through this because it didn't look like she was doing a very good job of coping so far.

He looked at his hand. The bones of three of his knuckles stuck up at odd angles and his fingers were locked in a crunched position. He'd put his knuckles out of joint by the look of it. Well, at least that meant his hand wasn't actually broken - of course that meant he would have to -

His yell that accompanied the crack as he sharply forced a knuckle back into it's socket brought heavy footsteps on the stairs within seconds.

"What 'appened!?" Came her panicked gasp as she flung the door open.

"I'm fixing my hand." He ground out through gritted teeth. Her mouth opened and she stood wide eyed in the door way as he gripped another finger tightly in his hand, tensed his jaw, took a deep breath -

"Love, don't!"

And shoved it back into joint.

She flung her hands over her eyes, spinning from him with a shriek to accompany his yell as another crack sounded. One more to go. Panting he grabbed the final finger, and, now fully prepared for the pain and knowing how intense it would be he knew it was sooner rather than later - and snapped the finger back into joint.

"Fuck that hurt," he muttered after a moment, his eyes still watering as he shook his hand out.

"You silly man - why the bloody 'ell didn't you let the doctor do that!? Could 'ave made it worse!" She scolded him, hands on hips.

He fixed her with a sarcastic look. "Doctor I dislocated my knuckles because I punched an oven."

She huffed and their gazes locked for a moment before her eyes softened and she dropped her gaze and her hands from her hips, ringing them in front of her. "Sorry - for what I said…" She murmured.

He wanted to bite out that she bloody well should be - but he remembered what he'd realised moments before snapping his knuckles back into joint and shook his head tensely. "Doesn't matter. Forget it."

She looked back up at him tentatively. "I'm…sorry for what I did…?" She whispered, her big eyes so vulnerable as they locked with his.

Sweeney's own eyes widened - and he stood from the chair, crossed the room and pulled her to him. With a heavy sigh he muttered, "just forget it. It's done. It never happened."

She looked up at him sharply - wanted to comment on the ridiculousness of his suggestion. "But - you said -"

"I know what I said." He cleared his throat. "It's going to be better for both of us if we just pretend it never happened."

She couldn't keep in the bitter snort that escaped her.

He frowned deeply. "What?"

She was silent a moment, before, "you really think either of us could do that?"

His jaw tightened. "No." He shook his head with a hard sigh. "No, I don't."

The next couple of days were possible the hardest in Sweeney Todd's life. Oh he had had his fair share of pain but this…this was worse than all of it - because it wasn't his pain. It was somebody's he _loved_ - and he had to see it every minute of the day and know he could do nothing about it.

She wasn't the same. She was on edge constantly - he was on edge constantly. She hadn't smiled once since, hadn't given him one light chiding, hadn't chattered freely to practically every customer - she hadn't even been the same with Jimmy, hadn't twittered on to him as she carried him about, hadn't kept half an eye on him every minute of the day.

And with him…well of course she wasn't the same. He almost missed her endless ramblings on, her constant trivial chatter he usually wanted to do everything short of killing her to stop. She would still kiss him, still lie wrapped round him at night - but her kisses were almost desperate, as if she was trying to pour more passion into them than she really felt, her grip on him at night was tense, as if she were either forcing herself to hold him tightly or clinging to him for all she was worth. And she would still have sex with him…

It was crazy, he'd expect a woman who'd been raped to not want a man anywhere near her for a long time after - let alone - well, _in_ her, to be blunt. But she…she was the opposite - she wanted him more than ever - it was obviously whenever the dreadful event came into her head - because she'd tackle him suddenly, and fuck him almost desperately, often she'd be crying, or rambling about how much she loved him, or clinging to him so tight he'd have to tell her to loosen her hold a little.

And he gave it to her because…what else could he do? Truth be told the whole thing was tearing him up on the inside; and he had absolutely no clue how to help her deal with what she'd been through so he only did as she wanted - it seemed to help her, at least for a little while - until she thought of it again.

But he knew it had gone too far two nights after the dreadful event had happened.

"Hurt me!" She'd insisted in a blind frenzy of tears and tremors as she pulled his body closer to hers. "Hurt me - _hurt me _- make me cry, make me scream - hurt me until I'm crying for you to stop - then take me anyway -"

He'd rolled straight off her, sitting up and staring down at her like she was insane. "_What!? _What are you saying!?"

She'd given a little high pitched sob. "Do it…" she grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him roughly on top of her again. "_Do it!_"

He'd almost given in - her cry was so desperate, how could he refuse what she was begging for? But with tremendous effort he suddenly wrenched himself away from her and leapt from the bed, standing beside it.

"No. This has to stop Nellie."

"No - _please - _I need this - I need _you - _!"

He shook his head. "This isn't helping you - can't you see!? Every time it gets worse - every time you need more to override the memory in your mind - where's this gonna go? You're asking me to hurt you - to _rape _you - how the hell do you think that's going to help!?"

She gave another sob and a gasp of breath - "Because it's _you _- if you do it then - then -"

"No, it won't make you forget him! You know it won't - if anything it'll make it worse - I'll be doing to you exactly what he did - then all will happen is you'll start to associate me with him -"

"I won't!"

"You will! It won't work - at the very best it's going to screw up our relationship irreparably -"

"It's already screwed up!" She suddenly shrieked at him. "Cant you see!? It's totally screwed up - everything's screwed up - _I'm _screwed up - all because of one stupid mis-" She broke off, sobbing too loudly to continue talking.

Silently, hurting so much to see her in pain like this, Sweeney sat down, pulling her up and into his arms and holding her tightly.

"You're _not," _he muttered fiercely to her after a moment. "You can't let this - let one thing do this to you - you're stronger than this. I know you are."

"But we…." She took a deep breath and then suddenly she was talking. "What we got's so special - I love ya so much and - and you love me…and we been through so much together and we done so much for each other and I knew there would never be another man as long as I lived - I thought there never would be - and e's ruined it - _everything_ we 'ad cause I keep seeing 'is face instead of yours and feeling 'im instead o' you an'…an' - I wasn't supposed to ever be with anyone else and now I 'ave and…"

She trailed off as Sweeney cut in. "That's what you think!?" It suddenly clicked in his brain - the reason she couldn't deal with what had happened to her.

She plunged on - "and it hurt so much - and I don't just mean physically - all I could think of was you and…_God! _This weren't supposed to 'appen!" Her tears started flowing again

He didn't know how he hadn't realised it before - that what had hurt her so much was not the simple fact that she got raped…it was because of _him _- if she hadn't had him, if she'd still been on her own she probably would have got on with life and got over it fine in a while…but he suddenly realised that what she just couldn't deal with, was the fact that another man had taken her. She felt like it had ruined what _they_ had - whether she consented in it or not made no difference in her mind - all that was in her head was the fact that another man had been inside her like nobody but him ever should have been and to her, it was a betrayal.

"Nellie…" He breathed with so much emotion she looked up at him. "Nellie…my love -" he sat beside her on the bed and brushed a damp curl form her eyes, cupping her face. "This was not your fault…"

"It was - !"

"It wasn't! It doesn't matter that you could have prevented it by not going out - you never intended anything like it to happen - you tried to stop him - you did everything you could - and yes it hurts to know another man had you when you're mine -" He shook his head, suddenly realising the words he was speaking were finally true - "but I _don't_ blame you…please don't blame yourself…"

She stared at him in silence for a few moments. "You don't?" She finally whispered.

He shook his head and slid under the covers again, sitting up against the headboard and pulling her up next to him. He rubbed her arm absently as he held her.

Finally she whispered, "thank you." And she meant it. She didn't realise it until he'd said them, but his words had been exactly what she needed. She felt a huge weight lift off her mind. It _hadn't_ been her fault. She _hadn't _betrayed him. She hugged him tightly, snuggling into his side, even smiling a little though her watery eyes. "I love you." She told him.

He nodded. "I know you do. And - I love you, and that's all that really matters now isn't it?"

She allowed herself a small smile again.

"But I still don't think this is helping…" He said finally.

Her brow furrowed. "What?"

Oh it almost hurt him to say it but… "Sex. I don't think sex is helping you at all, I…" He took a deep breath before quickly muttering, "I don't think we should do it for a while."

Her face was priceless as she tilted it to look up at him. "You _what!?"_

"Look, you were _raped _Nellie - and on the same night you had sex with me - straight after - and ever since - you haven't had even a moment to recover from it. You may think you need it but really I don't think it's helping, I think its making you worse."

"It is! I - I see…_him - _instead of you and I - it feels so wrong - and I need you to -"

"No, you don't - it hasn't worked so far has it? You've been getting worse -" He made a firm decision in that moment and said sternly, "no more sex." With far more sureness than he felt for saying the blasted words - and quickly added - "for now."

She stared at him in shock, her lip trembling a little. "So when I see him - feel him inside me instead of you - you're not gonna 'elp me g rid of that feeling - you're gonna let me suffer with it!?"

"No - look - I…" He paused, thinking a moment before he finally said quietly, "I think you've gotta get rid of it by yourself."

She didn't say anything, her silence speaking her resentful acceptance…and he was suddenly too close too her, his body too tight against hers, too awkward to be cuddling him like this- she wanted to push away, to shrug him off and roll over, turning her back to him - but she couldn't bare to get him annoyed at her again -

She practically leapt out of the bed and his arms at Jimmy's soft whimper, relieved beyond measure for an excuse to do so. When she'd fed him - ignoring the half-hearted (somewhat tensely spoken) chiding of her husband who'd been trying to get her to get their son on strict feeding times - she slid back in beside him and lay very still, noticing how he didn't move to embrace her as she didn't snuggle up to him.

The space between them was filled with far more than sheets that night, and quietly, sadly, her chest tight and heart hurting for even thinking such a thing, she wondered in the darkness, if things would ever be the same as what they were between them again.

* * *

_Hmm so I'm not too happy with this one - to be honest, a lot more was supposed to happen but I don't know how I ended up with eight pages and not even half my chapter plan written out. Grrr. I did try to cut some stuff out but eh…sort of need all of this. _

_I haven't /forgotten/ about anything btw, before anybody mentions anything lol, just, like I said, chapter had a mind of it's own. So all in good time loves ;)_

_Gosh I wrote some of this chapter /ages/ ago, like really really ages ago, when I was still writing PA…XD_

_So anyway I really hoped you liked, I'll try not to make the nest chapter so pointless ;) (well, actually it wasn't pointless, it had /a point/ it just took flipping forever to get it across aha) _

_Love and huggles for everybody! XD_

_  
Replies to un-signed in reviews: _

_Sarah Brihene - I am indeed back and lmao I /know/ you love sex love, can't really forget that can I? XP Glad you liked the chap lovee hehe love ya! (huggles)_

_Jamie - Wow that__'__s cool hehe have you got a costume yet? Aw thanks so much I__'__m glad you thought so sweetie! Love ya! (hugs)_

_Veronica - I'm so glad you liked the chap hun __J__ Yeah he sure as hel did deserve to die! ;) Thank you so much for the review! Love ya! (huggles)_

_Jml - I know poor Mrs. Lovett __L__ I'm glad you liked the chap hun thanks so much! Love ya (hugs)_

_Penguin Patrol - Omg your poor computer! Is it okay now? I hate viruses grrr! Anyway thanks for the review love! (hugs)_

_Thyme - Aw thanks so much love! Glad you enjoyed the overdramatic ness-hehe ;) Love ya hun (hugs)_

_Cheyenne - I'm glad he suffered enough for you, you're quite welcome ;) Yes Sweeney can be an idiot, and you do say that a lot but it's true a lot LOL thanks so much for the review love! (huggles)_

_Skye - Thank you very much love, I'm glad you think I'm doing a good job of dealing with the subject matter which is indeed a difficult one. I'm so glad you lovett! (hugs)_

_Miranda - Yes revenge is very sweet ;) Aww thank you so much love, that meant a lot to me __J__ I'm so glad you like this so much hun! Love ya! (huggles)_

_Depp-Sweeney Obsession - Sweeney /always/ kicks ass! XD ;) Hehe I'm so glad you loved it hun! I know poor both of them, I feel for them too (duh of course I do I'm bloody writing it O.o lol) Boo for lack of computorage! Isn't it painful!? Lol thanks so much for the lovely review sweetie, love ya! (hugs)_

_Twitch - "Blood YAY" - LMAO!! That cracked me up love! (But I'm with ya there btw ;)) Aw my best chap yet!? Thanks so much love that means a /lot/ XD I'm glad it came across so vividly too, I love to know that __J__ Love ya hun! (hugs)_

_Baby Fratelli - Yeah bless him! As messed up as the kid is you gotta love him right? XD Thanks for the review love! (hugs)_


	10. Chapter 10

_Eek! Sorry loves! I keep taking ages I know! Nearly a week O.o I'm sorry that is disgraceful :slaps wrist: Ahh I don't know how I used to reel out chapters practically every day lol why am I so slow lately!?_

_So I went to see the uni I'm hoping to go to on friday and had a chat with the head of Screenwriting there, and I'm so happy because it sounds absolutely amazing and I'm so so excited about it - I just really bloody hope I get in lol! :S_

_Hope everyone is doing good and hope you're gonna forgive me for the delayed update :) _

* * *

The next day she bled.

It was heavier than normal but she was due and she was glad. Relieved beyond measure in fact. It hadn't even occurred to her until she saw blood all over her undergarments that the bastard could have got her with child. A shiver went through her as she thought of that being the case. Her and Sweeney had been careful lately - as careful as they could be; she could very easily have become pregnant by another man,,,

Her heart was hammering with just the thought, even though it thankfully wasn't going to turn into fact. It didn't even bear thinking about. What Sweeney might have done about it didn't bear thinking about either.

"You alright?" Her husband asked her quietly when she came back into their bedroom and began dressing silently, a frown in place on her face. She looked up at him as he sat on the edge of their bed, pulling his clothes on.

"Yeah, fine." She said a little too quickly, her voice a little too high.

After watching her lace her corset up with narrowed eyes for a moment Sweeney sighed quietly and looked back down at his shirt as he buttoned it up. "It'll take time," he mumbled.

She didn't reply and they dressed in silence, until he went to move past her to leave the room and she suddenly decided to tell him, placing a hand on his arm.

"Um…I'm bleeding love." She mumbled quickly, looking down.

He stared at her a moment before, "oh…okay…"

She let her eyes catch his, wishing he'd made this easy for her and caught on to what she was trying to tell him. "Aren't you glad?"

His brow furrowed. "Huh - but we - _oh_." His eyes widened suddenly and she knew it had clicked. "I never…never even thought…_shit!" _

She nodded. "Yeah. Me neither, 'til just now. Least I was lucky eh?"

Sweeney nodded and made a sound of agreement before leaving the room, but she didn't miss the "you'd have been _lucky_ if it never happened," he muttered half under his breath on his way out.

The rest of the day was awful. After a painfully dreadful breakfast Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett had avoided each other like the plague. It had all been the stupid boy' fault. At least in Sweeney's opinion that was.

"You alright mum?" He'd asked her quietly when she sat down opposite him with her own bowl of hot porridge and cup of tea.

She'd looked up at him with wide eyes before nodding quickly and looking back down into her tea. "Yeah, I'm fine love."

"Ya don't look fine," Toby muttered darkly, half under his breath but obviously intended to be heard.

She shot a glance at Sweeney who's face flinched a little in irritation before he rose abruptly from the table, leaving the room as she questioned Toby with a little annoyance, "what's that supposed to mean?"

Sweeney lingered a moment just behind the doorway as Toby spoke quietly. "Ya know what it means…I'm worried 'bout ya mum, I…there's something I wanna talk to ya 'bout…"

Sweeney could hear her swallow as she spoke, knew how she was shifting edgily. "What's that then love?"

"I 'eard…'eard you and Mr. Todd…" He mumbled, fidgeting in his chair. Sweeney, just about to leave them to it uninterested, froze.

She looked up at him, her eyes narrowed a little. "'Eard what?"

"Um…" his ears went slightly pink as he stared into his own breakfast. Unfortunately this wasn't an altogether unfamiliar conversation either. "You know…"

She cleared her throat a little, taking a sip of tea to hide her fluster. "So?" She said quietly.

"Mr. Todd said you was attacked mum. I ain't stupid I know what 'e meant. Not to mention that 'part from the one bruise on yer face you ain't covered in no marks neither."

She sighed heavily. "Ya know too much for a child Toby." She shook her head, hurting a little for knowing all he'd had to deal with at such a young age. "It ain't right."

Toby frowned. "I ain't a child."

She looked up sharply at him - before her eyes widened slightly. Of course he was still a lad but…he was growing up - faster than she really realised. Now she thought about it even his voice did crack a little the odd time now…

Well…he was thirteen now. She supposed he was growing up…

She gave him a sad smile suddenly. "When did that happen love?" She said quietly.

He rolled his eyes, quickly averting them before he spoke again. "I'm worried about ya mum."

She was silent for a moment. "Don't. I'll be alright dear."

"But you 'aven't been."

"No." She agreed. "It's…an 'ard thing to deal with Toby," she said softly.

Toby took a breath before continuing. "But the thing is - um - I were gonna talk to Mr. T but - I think 'e'd get mad with me…er…" he scratched his head nervously. "Shouldn't 'e - er…leave you alone for a while mum?" he mumbled. "'Til you're alright I mean…"

It was incredibly hard for Toby to say these things to her - but he felt they needed to be said. He knew very well what had happened to her on that dreadful night - and he'd been shocked and angered when he'd heard her and Mr. Todd _- up to it _- on the very same night, right after seeing what a state she was in. And he'd heard them again the night after, and last night…

Toby had been warming a little to the man lately - well, perhaps not so much warming as his hatred for him fading because he'd believed him to truly care for his mother and Jimmy and consequently grew to respect and accept him. But now…it was wrong. He couldn't believe how selfish and insensitive he was being, making his wife do _that, _after such a dreadful thing had happened to her - and he knew his poor mum would do anything to please her Mr. Todd, even if it - which it obviously was - hurt her.

She sat open mouthed for a minute, gaping at her adoptive son as his eyes frantically searched the table. She _could _tell him how her husband had exactly the same thoughts as him - how _she_ had been the one insisting they have sex these past couple of days - but the boy knew too much as it was.

"Don't worry dear 'e's going to. And…'e knows. 'Ow hard this is for me I mean, and 'e…it's fine. Don't worry about it alright?" She mumbled quietly.

"But I do worry mum! _Somebody_ 'as to worry 'bout ya -" He said darkly -

"Is there something you would like to say to me _Toby?" _Sweeney's deep voice came from the doorway suddenly, cutting through the room like a knife and leaving a tense short silence after.

Toby cringed in his seat, not daring to turn to face him.

"Boy!"

Toby looked down. "N-no sir. Nothing sir."

"Nothing, are you sure about that? It didn't sound like nothing to me."

Toby bit his lip for maybe five seconds before decided he couldn't hold it in and turned in his chair, blurting out, "'Ow can ya be treating 'er like y'are after what 'appened to 'er!?"

"Toby! That's enough!" Mrs. Lovett said sharply. "I told ya - it's fine - an' it ain't nothing to do with ya so leave it alone!"

"It ain't fine! I can't believe 'ow 'eartless 'e's being!"

At the word 'he' when he himself was standing right by him, Sweeney lost it.

"You're not too big for a bloody lashing boy - and just because you've never got one here doesn't mean you won't!" Sweeney barked.

"Sweeney!" His wife gasped.

Next to her, Jimmy's bottom lip trembled.

"I care about 'er - which is more than I can say for you!" Toby fumed.

"You know nothing boy! You know nothing about what goes on that you don't see -"

"I know too much 'bout what goes on! I know that you're forcing 'er to - to _be with ya _after she got raped -"

Sweeney lunged forward and grabbed a hold of Toby's ear suddenly, dragging him to his feet as he yowled in pain.

Mrs. Lovett flew to her own feet, "_Stop this now!"_

Both males froze to stare at her shriek as she stood fuming, face red and hands on hips. Jimmy gave a little whimper - before bursting into loud ear shattering cries.

"Look what ya done!" She snapped, scooping her wailing son into her arms and bouncing him as he cried, tears spilling down his tiny cheeks. "I'll not 'ave ya fighting - an' I'll certainly not 'ave ya fighting 'bout me as if I weren't even bloody 'ere!" She said loudly over Jimmy's cries.

Sweeney released Toby who rubbed his ear angrily.

"Toby - I said I we're fine, keep yer bloody nose out of it. Sweeney, I don't care 'ow angry 'e makes ya yer not to threaten 'im like that - an' 'specially not round poor little Jimmy!" Neither replied. "Alright!?"

Sweeney grunted and rolled his eyes and Toby muttered a hasty and bitter apology.

"Good."

The boy scuttled out of the room but Sweeney remained standing where he was as she put Jimmy back down on his blanket as his whimpers quietened down.

She glanced up at him when she noticed he hadn't moved to see him regarding her with a frown and folded arms. "What?"

His face didn't change. "Are we really?" He said quietly.

She frowned a little as she fussed with getting Jimmy to sit still. "Really what?"

"Fine?"

She froze, pausing momentarily before straightening to look at him.

They locked gazes for a moment before she looked away, shifting uncomfortably. "No." Images flashed through her mind, pain shot through her body -

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. This is where she would usually fly into his arms, beg him to take her and take her quickly…

She snapped her eyes open to see him watching her with unmistakable concern on his face. "We will be," she muttered quietly, not half as convinced as she tried to sound.

He didn't say anything but faltered momentarily - he half thought he should go to her to take her in an embrace - but then decided against it. She looked like she thought the same thing before turning quickly to Jimmy and picking him up again, muttering something to him about a bath as she hurried from the room.

It was a few hours later when all had simmered down so low she half wished it would bubble up again - surely that was better than this painful cold avoidance the three of them had been practising all day. Each time she and Toby bumped into each other serving pies both would mutter an apology and hurry on their way, and those were about the only words they exchanged, except for the odd essential order she had to give him.

At least it was better than not speaking or making contact at all like her and Sweeney…she hadn't even been able to bring him his lunch, he'd come and got his own in the end...and she didn't even want to recall the dreadfully painful silence that loomed over the three of them as they sat at the dinner table that night.

She started to feel a little guilty about Toby as the day went on…lad was only trying to help. And of course he was only going by how he saw things - all he knew was that she had been violently raped, and her husband was still doing her right after it had happened even though she was obviously deeply traumatised by the event, and in a pretty much constant state of distress over it…of course he'd assume what he did. How on earth would he guess that she was the one initiating it constantly due to the inescapable need she had to replace her attackers face with her husbands as it should be? He was only a lad after all.

He'd been awfully good up until today - good and sensitive and helpful. Then, of course, she supposed he always was. The lad had been a blessing to her, she'd often thought such a thing. Which was why she was shocked when she came up from the bake house late and popped her head in the living room to turn the lamp off if Toby had fallen asleep with it on again -

A gasp and a clunk accompanied by a splash rang out as she opened the door.

"Mum! Thought y'as sin bed!"

She stood staring at the wide eyed boy and the half empty gin bottle rolling across the floor. "Toby!? What you doing!?"

"N'thin…"

"Drinking." It was a statement, an obvious one at that and spoken with sinking disappointment.

He paused, squinting at her before he gave a hiccup and muttered, "yesss…"

"I can't believe you been drinking be'ind me back! 'Ow could you!? 'Ere was me thinking you been doing so well!"

"Sh'not m'fault…" he mumbled darkly.

She frowned. "Then whose is it!?"

"'Oo's ya think?"

Her heart dropped. She was so hurt she was suddenly holding back tears. "Mine."

He shifted on the floor. "An 'im." He gave a dark scowl. "An' ev'thing…" She stood in silence, not knowing what to say but he saved her the trouble by continuing before she could open and close her mouth for a third time; "can't deal wi' all 'is…"

Hurt suddenly gave way to anger. "_You_ can't deal with it!?" She fumed, "deal with _what!? _I'm the one who got bloody raped Toby, '_ow the fuck do ya think I bloody feel!?"_

Toby stared at her wide eyed, shocked at her uncharacteristic sudden outburst even in his drunken state.

After a few moments of fixing him with her livid glare she snapped her eyes away from his and stomped across the room, plucking the gin bottle off the floor before marching over to the cabinet, flinging it open and taking the three full bottles out before slamming it shut.

"From now on we're doing this the 'ard way." She snapped at him, arms full of bottles. She turned to leave before a thought struck her - "an' if you _steal _to get yer drink - you'll be out on yer bloody ear!"

Toby uttered not a word as she left the room with the gin, slamming the door loudly behind her before setting off to the bake house with the bottles.

The next two days were just as bad - if not worse. Things were painfully tense between her and Toby after their little row and her and Sweeney…it was painful. She felt as if he might as well have gone away for a few days they were so distant. And the worst thing was she wanted him so much…two nights passed where she lay awake by his side in silent agony, her cheeks damp and mind hurting with the memories and feelings she tried so hard to be rid of but just couldn't escape on her own, as Sweeney lay just as silent and awake next to her in the dark, pretending not to know how she cried.

He looked at her, already in bed as he entered the room the following night. She quickly averted her eyes and he sighed heavily.

He put he lamp out and slid into bed beside her, "This is as bad as after you had Jimmy." He muttered darkly, half under his breath. He saw the hurt flash in her face as she turned to look at him sharply and quickly corrected himself. "I don't mean not - I don't mean that, It's not your fault - I mean this -" he stumbled a little, searching for a word, " - awkwardness."

She was quiet and still for a few long moments before she spoke. "I know." She shifted a little beside him. "But…it don't 'ave to be like this, just cause we ain't - cause of _that _- don't mean we still can't be close…" She said quietly. She paused and he was silent so she shuffled herself over to press her body close to his, slipping an arm over his torso as he shifted one of his to let her pillow her head on his shoulder.

He held her close, letting himself drink in the feel of her soft warm body against his, something he'd missed painfully, even though it had only been a couple of days. His hand stroked absently up and down her side and she let out a content little sigh, placing a kiss on his chest and snuggling into him a little further, finally feeling her body and self relax as she realised she hadn't done for four whole days.

His hand traced absent circles on her skin, running enthusiastically over the familiar territory it had been starved of, as he tried to focus his mind on something other than all the times he's explored that territory before and in how many different ways…

He didn't even realise where his hand was sliding to until she flinched away from his touch, shoving his hand quickly off her in something of a panic and pushing back from him, her eyes momentarily wide and distressed - and as much as it hurt him for her to react to him like this to him he was actually relieved. This is how she _should_ be reacting after such a thing, surely. Now all she had to do was get through this difficult part, wait until the painful memories had gone until she could be with him again. He didn't know how long it would take - but knowing his strong wife, he didn't think it would be_ too _long.

"Sorry." He mumbled, pulling her close to him again, trying to make nothing of it.

She relaxed against him. "No, I'm sorry love - I - I didn't mean to, it just -"

"S'fine." He quickly muttered.

She shook her head. "No - it just took me by surprise, it was just a reaction, I'm sorry you -" she took a deep slightly shaky breath. "You can touch me if you want."

He shook his head tensely. "No, it's alright. Don't worry about it."

She bit her lip. "No, I mean it…"

Another tense shake of his head. "It's fine. Just go to sleep."

"But…I want you to…"

He turned his head to look at the vulnerable pout she was pulling unintentionally. Did she really not know how tempting she was to him, how hard it was to restrain himself like this? "I don't think that's a good idea." He said quietly.

She was quiet for a moment before, "then at least kiss me?" She whispered, her voice so soft he barely heard.

He turned his head to hers, tilted up to him with wide eyes, and leant in to kiss her mouth gently, holding her to him, the hand resting on her waist twitching not to move.

She opened her mouth under his and their kiss deepened, she made a small sound into his mouth - he could tell she was doing everything to pour as much love and want into the kiss as she could, trying to convince herself more than him that she was fine.

Without breaking the kiss he felt her hand run shakily down his arm and take hold of his wrist - she guided his hand down over her hip, dragging it round to the front and pushing it between her thighs as she parted them slightly -

He paused - only for a second, his hand an mouth stilling momentarily - until he felt her desperate tongue seeking his again, felt her press her body against his with a soft little moan - and he dipped his fingers between her legs, letting them dance lightly over her hot slickness.

He started to rub her gently, just slowly, knowing just where she liked it, how to make her writhe. She let out another little whimper against his mouth, shivering slightly in his arms.

He couldn't help himself - he pressed himself against her, pushing her back to the bed, his tongue plunged more demanding into her mouth, he pushed two fingers inside her, rubbing her more frantically as his other hand gripped her back -

"No!" She suddenly cried, shoving herself back from him, panting heavily as she lay apart from him, her eyes wide and panicked.

Her eyes welled up with tears and she turned her head, burying it in the pillow. "I'm sorry love, I'm sorry," she was mumbling.

"S'alright. My fault." He muttered quietly, shifting closer to her and stroking her hair as she cried. He ran his hand down to rub her back instead but when after several moments she didn't move he moved his hand away with a heavy sigh, shifting slightly so their bodies were further apart.

She moved then, lifting her head from the pillow, turning it to him. "No, don't…" she mumbled softly.

"It's okay." He muttered. "I can understand, I won't touch you."

Her dark eyes looked so sad as they shone in the moonlight filtering through the curtains. "No…please don't…I need you…"

"I told you that's not a good id -" he started to ground out.

"No," she cut him off, shaking her head. "I don't mean that, I know…I just need you."

Sweeney was quiet for a moment before he shuffled back over and pulled her to him again, locking his arms tightly round her and killing that bastard again and again in his mind as they settled into painful quietness.

It would take time, but she would be alright…they would be alright he kept telling himself fiercely.

"I'm so sorry for what I'm putting ya though…" she whispered into the silence.

Sweeney was quiet for a moment and she took it to mean an acceptance of her apology until, "no," he whispered back just as quietly, "I'm sorry for what you've been though."

* * *

_I'm not sure why but I really struggled with this one…_

_And I so nearly scrapped it, right up until about five minutes ago…but I really kinda need it cause of build up, gap filling in blah blah BLEH. Grrr. I will do my best not to be too long with the next one, and hopefully it will make up for it. I've written most of it already anyway and I actually kinda like it which makes a change XD_

_Random question time cause you all seem to love those XD So - what's your fave disney movie? Like the good old cartoon disney I mean. Gosh I love disney XD Hehe I couldn't choose between Pocohontas and Aristocats :)_

_Until next time huns, hope you all enjoyed the chap and hopefully next time won't be too long ;)_

_Replies to un-signed in reviews:_

_Candice - Ah there you are I missed you hun! XD Really how old are you then? Yeah Sweeney is kinda an ass isn't he? Grr indeed lol thanks so much for the review sweetie good to have ya back XD Love ya (huggles)_

_Jamie - Aww bless your little puppy! They can be rather a pain can't they! I know the new review box thing is weird isn't it? O.o Thanks for the review hun! Love ya! (huggles)_

_Jml - XD Thank you hun! I'm glad you think my chaps flow well cause I often think the opposite lol especially when I jump between scenes sometimes. And I'm…glad? That you felt Sweeney's pain…? LOL well you tell me it's a good thing so I'm glad XD Thanks again sweetie! Love ya! (hugs)_

_Twitch - An oven puncher! Lmao!! And yes he can be an ass can't he!? Thanks for the review love! (huggles)_

_Lizzy - Hehe yup hacking away at them bodies was sure good for her I'd guess XD Glad you liked it love thank you! (hugs)_

_Depp-Sweeney Obsession - Lmao yes that argument was rather impressively little-sibling-like wasn't it!? Those two are just children really :rolls eyes: lol. Ahh ouch poor you what happened? Well luckily :touches wood frantically: I have never managed to actually break anything yet so I was just basing the pain off what I'd heard LOL! Thanks so much for the review sweetie! Love ya! (huggles)_

_Miranda - Haha yeah I've been calling everyone love since I've been writing this, I even use it when I'm talking by accident haha! Thanks so much for the review hun! Love ya (hugs)_

_Cheyenne - I'm glad you think so love, that's what I think when I'm thinking uh oh is this too dark? …Nah it's Sweeney Todd! XD Hehe. Thanks so much for the review hun don't worry as I've told you I enjoy your rambles XD hehe love ya! (huggles)_

_Thyme - He really /did/ deserve that didn't he? ;) He has been a bit of a bastard indeed but then what more can we expect from the demon barber? :sigh: lol. And yes he did actually say that O.o shocking isn't it!? Thanks for the review hun love ya! (hugs)_

_Sarah Brihene - Trust you to /cry/ at the no sex part. Lol dear me well I'm glad Sweeney gave you a laugh with his oven punching XD hehe thanks hun love ya! (hugs)_

_Lily Lovett - Aww thanks so much love! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed PA and this! XD And I do intend to write a book someday lol I'll let you know when I do ;) (hugs)_

_Veronica - Yes you /did/ just read that right, lol shocking isn't it!? But yes a good thing indeed J thanks so much for the review sweetie love ya! (huggles)_

_Karen Roberson - Aww I'm sorry to hear about your fight with your room-mate hun…I hope somehow things do work out for you…L Anyway yes Sweeney is a bastard and you /would/ think more babies would fix it lmao bless ya XD Thanks for the review hunni love ya! (hugs)_


	11. Chapter 11

_Heyaaa I know, a long time /again/ I'm sorry um…I have something I need to ask you all on this subject actually, it's at the end of the chap cause I've rambled on quite a lot lol._

_So read the A/N at the end cause it's really important!!_

_And here you are, here's chapter 11 :)_

* * *

Their anniversary. It was their anniversary.

On this very day exactly one year ago Mrs. Lovett had married the man she had been in love with for over half her life - the man who stood before her now, a little awkwardly as she stared at him in shock.

It was their anniversary. And with everything that had happened in the past week she had totally forgotten.

He cleared his throat. "Well, take it then." He said gruffly when she didn't reply or react, holding the small black box out to her.

Dismay shone though her eyes. "I - I'm so sorry love - I -" She felt tears well up. "I completely forgot - with - everything…I ain't got ya nothing!""

He shook his head quickly, stepping closer to her. "S'alright. Understandable. I don't want anything anyway."

He was still holding his present out to her, she could only stare. "But you got me something -"

"It's fine" He insisted. "Just take it. Didn't bloody go to the bother for nothing." He grumbled.

With shaking hands, choking back the tears, she took the box from him and slowly opened it. She gasped and then there was no stopping the tears.

"Oh - oh love - it's so beautiful!" She choked out thickly, fumbling so much that she nearly dropped the box as she tried to extract it's contents.

"Here -" He said, stepping closer still and taking it off her. He put the box down on the side, taking out what lay inside and lifting it to drape it round her neck, brining his hands round to the back of her neck to sweep her hair aside and fasten it, her body pressed to his as he did so.

When he stepped back he saw she was still crying, tears spilling down her cheeks although she smiled up at him.

"Why are you crying!?"

She sniffed, wiping at her eyes. "Because - because it's so lovely -"

"Well no good bloody crying about it."

"And I didn't get you nothing…"

"I told you I _don't_ mind. Go and have a look." He said gruffly, pushing her towards the mirror.

Still wiping at her cheeks she moved over to stand in front of it and stared, mesmerised at the adornment round her neck.

Rubies. What else could he give his perfect partner in crime? _Rubies_ were what had brought them together in the first place after all.

The gold necklace was exquisitely elaborate, and sat in the web that lay just perfectly below her neck were twelve glimmering rubies, sunk into the necklace as if they truly were precious drops of blood that had pooled from the gold. The largest one sat in the middle, a breathtakingly perfect blood-red stone, and she knew that one _alone _would have cost more than she even dared to think about.

When she could tear her eyes away she snapped them back to Sweeney who was avoiding hers, looking a bit awkward again. "Well you like it then?" He said shortly.

"Yes," she breathed, taking another glance at it round her neck, as if that were where it were always meant to sit. "Oh but Sweeney - this must 'ave cost a fortune!"

He rolled his eyes. "I do actually _shave_ customers too you know. And the best barber in London isn't cheap."

She walked over to stand in front of him, staring up at him with her big dark eyes. He had to admit the rubies looked even better on her than he had imagined.

"Thank you." She said quietly, as sincerely as she could. "I love it. I love _you_."

He nodded, accepting her thanks and letting her lean up on her tiptoes to place a lingering kiss on his mouth.

He pulled away after a moment, clearing his throat. "Come on then, better get ready. The coach'll be here soon." He said shortly.

Her brow furrowed. "Coach?"

He nodded, turning to leave her to dress.

"Coach, what coach, where we going?"

He turned back to her, "The surprise," he said, as if it were obvious.

She gasped. "But - but I thought this were the surprise!" She exclaimed, touching a hand to the necklace.

"No," He said slowly, as if talking to a child, "That's your present. Now come on, get dressed, haven't got all day." And he left.

It seemed Sweeney had planned everything because Toby didn't seem in the least bit surprised to be left with Jimmy for the day and mumbled something about hoping they enjoy themselves as Sweeney led her from the shop to the coach stopped outside.

Mrs. Lovett spent the good first hour of the journey pestering her husband to tell her where on earth they were going, after being unsuccessful, the second hour trying to guess - only to have each guess met with silence and so she gave up and spend the next hour or so fidgeting and racking her brains to think what he could possibly have planned.

Maybe he'd been going to take her back to where they were married was the first and strongest suspicion she had - but he was about the most un-sentimental person on the planet so she thought that was pretty unlikely really. Perhaps they were going to some fancy place in the country for lunch? But she doubted that was like him either. She was then thinking that perhaps they were going away for day or too - maybe he'd rented some little place somewhere quiet for them to relax - heaven knew they needed it - but she highly doubted he'd leave Toby with Jimmy over night - and that wouldn't explain why they'd left so early.

She had finally fallen asleep, the gentle rocking of the coach lulling her off where there was nothing else to do - she awoke when the sun was high in the sky to her shoulder been gently shaken.

She blinked her eyes open to see Sweeney opening the door and climbing out. "Come on." He said gruffly.

Fussing her hair into place and smoothing her dress out as she stood up, stretching a little, she took Sweeney's offered hand, holding her skirts up with the other as she stepped out of the coach, squinting in the daylight.

It was moment before she was properly awake and her eyes had adjusted to the light and her senses to the scene around her -

She gasped, a hand flying to her mouth as her wide eyes swept the landscape. She snapped them to Sweeney who was appearing to look straight ahead with his usual stern face but she could see the way he was watching her out of the corner of his eye, the tiniest of smirks playing on his lips.

She looked ahead again, unable to tear her eyes from the image for long...

The beautiful sea stretched out glimmering in the weak winter sunlight before her.

"Sweeney…" She breathed.

He did smirk at her then - but only briefly, before he cleared his throat quickly and shifted, nodding towards the ocean. "Don't know what the attraction is myself. Just a load of water. And it's always windy by the sea too."

She let out a little laugh - which was somewhat near a sob at the same time and looked up at him with big shining eyes, happiness glowing in her face and he was suddenly very, very glad that he'd gone to so much trouble and money bringing her here today.

The ocean was painfully, icily cold, but she didn't seem to care, apparently determined to re-live some of her fond childhood memories of paddling in the sea with her aunt and cousins. Sweeney stood just clear of the water, watching with a dubious expression as, stockings and boots discarded on the sand, she waded, skirts hitched, into the sea.

"Come on love!"

He scowled at her. "If you think for one moment I am going paddling in a freezing cold ocean you've got another think coming."

"Aw it ain't that cold once ya get used to it," she told him happily, watching it lap round her calves.

He rolled his eyes. "The cold is not the point."

"Then get yer shoes off and get in here!" Her eyes were laughing as she called at him.

"_No."_

He didn't know how she'd done it, he couldn't even _remember _what she'd said but somehow she'd managed to make him take his shoes off, roll his trousers up to his knees and wade into the water, where he now stood, next to her, his feet numb as he fixed her with his sternest glare.

"See." She grinned, taunting him with her victory. "S'not so bad is it love?"

She shrieked as the freezing water hit her, soaking the front of her dress and part of her hair. "Mr. T!" She scolded with a gasp, "ya got me wet!"

He shot a sudden grin at her. "Wouldn't be the first time."

She tried and fail at scowling at him through her giggles so instead settled for dipping to cup a hand in the icy sea and splash him back.

He lunged for her but she'd seen it coming and was already running towards the shore as fast as she could knee deep in water, soaking herself even more in the process and gasping through her laughter at the coldness of it.

She shrieked when he grabbed her unexpectedly about the waist from behind when they were still ankle-deep in - apparently he was able to run a lot faster through the water than her, not having a huge heavy dress to hold up.

"You're gonna pay for that -" he growled in her ear as they struggled - and she realised suddenly that he was trying to wrestle her down into the water.

"No! No it's freezing! Mr. T, no!" She shrieked through giggles, trying and failing to sound as serious about this as she felt.

He got her down, but only to one knee until she managed to drag a hand through the water and splash it on him, getting him square in the face and making him reel back with a gasp, letting her go. She was up and tearing towards the shore before he'd managed to blink the salt out of his eyes and shake his wet hair out.

She stood just clear of the water, laughing at him as he rubbed at his eyes.

"I can't bloody see," he complained.

"Serves ya right for trying to drown me!" She teased.

He blinked and straightened, glaring at her with a positively murderous expression on his face that she would have been genuinely terrified of had she not known how amazingly convincing he was at just pretending to be cross. "I'm gonna get you for that." He threatened

A little thrill shot through her at his growl. "Come and get me then," she challenged with a grin as she stood facing him square.

They stared at each other a moment before, faster than she could blink he rushed forwards and his body slammed into hers suddenly as he placed a hard kiss on her mouth, the impact making her stumble backwards and fall over, pulling him with her and landing them both breathless on the sand.

She stared up at him as they caught their breath, her eyes shining and face alight - Sweeney thought for a moment how today was the first time he'd seen that expression on her since that awful night.

Unable to stop himself he leant down and pressed his lips to hers again, finding her mouth opening readily for him, allowing him to kiss her deeply and slowly, drawing soft moans from the both of them.

They broke for air, still panting, and his kisses moved to her jaw line and up to her ear where he nibbled her lobe lightly, letting her hear his harsh breathing in her ear. Her eyes fluttered shut, a familiar feeling rising in the pit of her stomach as she ran her hands over his back, pressing him close to her, moaning softly.

She shifted underneath him then, opening her legs very deliberately so they were either side of his body. He froze a moment before raising his head, holding himself over her, staring intently into her wide eyes.

"Are you sure?" He asked her, although she could tell he wished he wasn't.

Closing her eyes, she nodded, opening them again to look into his. "It's our anniversary. I love you. As much as the day I said I do. More. And…" She smiled weakly up at him. "I'll be damned if you've taken me all the way to the sea like I always dreamed and we don't even do it on the beach."

He lifted a hand to brush a curl from her flushed face.

"_And_…I could feel yer 'ard on from as soon as we fell over." She quirked through a small smirk.

He rolled his eyes but couldn't deny it and kissed her again, letting her feel just how much he did want her by rocking his hips against hers as his tongue roamed her mouth.

She slid a hand over his shoulders and up to twine in his damp hair while the other ran down their sides as she lifted a leg up higher and pulled her skirts slowly up. Sweeney took over, their bodies shifting to let him push the heavy material up around her waist as she busied herself with getting his belt undone. He didn't miss how her hands fumbled and shook but chose to pretend to ignore it, pushing them away lightly and unbuckling his belt himself, pulling his trousers open as well.

He slipped his hand from his trousers to between her thighs, watching her face as her eyes closed and a small sigh escaped her as he teased her, lightly at first before she started to rock her hips in time to his caresses and he applied more pressure, slipping two fingers briefly into her to rub her inside as his thumb pressed at her clit.

She quivered lightly until his fingers left her and her eyes snapped open. He shifted his hips, pressing against her entrance - until he paused.

"Do you wanna go on top?" He muttered softly.

Her face softened and she smiled a little as she shook her head. "No, I'm fine," she breathed. "Honestly -" She raised her hips, letting the tip of him push into her. "Just bloody get inside me now!"

And with a groan he couldn't suppress he sank into her, her eyes fluttering closed at the sensation, and the pleasure - not just of what they were doing but the pleasure of finally enjoying this again and getting the feelings she should feel from it.

He started to move and she snapped open her eyes to see him looking intently into hers, his eyes smouldering they were so dark with lust. She saw only him. In that moment there was only Sweeney, and there only ever had been.

She smiled up at him, her face radiant and she knew she didn't even have to explain anything to him. He leant down and kissed her deeply and she felt his own happiness in his kiss.

They rocked together on the sand, the sound of the waves lapping at the shore, the cool sea breeze whipping around them that they were too hot to feel, lost in their own world of each other.

It was cold, it was windy, they were both wet, her skirts damp with salty water bunched up between them and probably turned to rags, her hair full of sand as she lay back, and his as she ran the hand she'd been digging into the ground up his arm to wind through his dark locks. She could taste salt and sand as she kissed him, feel pebbles digging into her back, sand getting in places it definitely shouldn't be - and they had fallen so near the sea it lapped at her feet and around his legs every so often -

But it was perfect, perfect for these two, and neither would change a thing.

And suddenly she wanted to cry - because she thought of _him_ - but it was tears of relief and joy that leaked form her eyes as she buried her face in his shoulder - it was joy because suddenly, he was _just_ a memory.

It had happened, it was over, he was gone_. It _was gone, in the past. And she realised suddenly where she'd been making the mistake - she was trying to forget it, forget him, to get rid of the memory - when what she should have been doing was trying to accept it - come to terms with it and accept it was in the past. It would never be gone, of course it wouldn't, how could it be? But it was now just a memory - and it didn't matter anymore because Sweeney was _right _and Sweeney was now and now was all that mattered.

She turned her head to whisper two words into her husband's ear; "it's gone." And she knew he knew what she meant, pausing in his movements for only half a second before he was kissing her, moving more deeply than before, holding her tight, as happy as she was that this was right again.

And then even thoughts were gone, and it was only _her_ - and for her, it was finally only him.

* * *

_No, not the end, just to clarify lol. Quite a bit to come yet loves! ;)_

_Anyway. I was twitching while I wrote this. It sickened me. You should know me well enough by now to know why. It just feels so wrong to write these sorts of things with these two. It was, however, necessary to that silly plot line of mine, and these two needed a flipping break from all the pain and drama and God knows what else I've been dealing them lately so yeah. I guess the chapters before this one have kinda balanced it out, no? :grumble: bloody fluff._

_Um um ummm…right yes like I said at the beginning I need to ask you all something…gosh I feel really REALLY bad for having to ask this actually but well…the thing is I'm pretty busy atm and I also have a lot of stuff to do and a lot on my mind and stuff and well…it takes like so long to reply to all your reviews on top of writing this which is why updates are taking for ever lately, and the thing is I feel like I'm often just saying the same thing you know I think anyway - like thank you so much and I'm really glad you liked it and stuff so…I'm asking you if you don't mind if I don't reply individually to every review anymore? Obviously if you ask a question, or say something I need to reply to…or write me a really detailed one or something - or ask me specifically to then of course I will reply, but like the ones where you know I'm just gonna say thanks and stuff anyway…would you mind if I don't? I'll just thank you all collectively at the beginning of each chapter?_

_I feel really bad for asking this because I really do appreciate every review and I really really love how amazingly popular this has become, of course I do, and I love how you all write me such lovely reviews, I love how you share your thoughts on the chap and stuff rather than all just being like, I liked it, update! All the time LOL. And that makes me feel even worse for asking this :( UGH I swear I wouldn't if I didn't feel I had to but the thing is it's getting to the point when it's taking me longer to reply to all your reviews than write a chapter, cause I tell ya I write these chappies flippin fast lol this story just flies at me constantly haha it's great XD So yeah, you will be getting updates a hell of a lot faster if I don't do individual replies to every single review each time._

_But tell me if you don't want me to, if you all really don't want me to it's fine it just means these chaps are gonna be pretty slow coming out now. Gosh I feel so bad about having to ask this it's like I don't appreciate the fact I get so many reviews and I really really do, each one means so much to me._

_Anyway let me know what you think please, of that and the chappy cause it scares me writing chaps like this LOL and I love you all lots and lots XD (And I really need to learn to be concise! O.o Haha)_

_Replies to un-signed in reviews:_

_Thyme - Ah well I did consider her being pregnant from it…but only briefly. It would have mucked things up too much I think lol, I do actually want to have a story left to write so I'm trying not to totally rip it to shreads lmao. Thanks so much for the review love! (hugs)_

_Twtich - LMAO well there, you just did write a sentence, and that was a wonderful metaphor LOL! XD ;) And do you have any idea how much you made me laugh about stabbing Toby in the eye with a French fry XD hahaha. Oh I totally agree without you about disney, I did actually say cartoons I meant like the old disney, I can't /stand/ all this HSM rubbish lately either! Thanks so much for that review hun, it was hilarious! XD Love ya! (hugs)_

_Veronica - I'm glad you liked the chap and especially the ending love cause I'm always a bit edgy writing Sweeney like that LOL :) Thanks so much for the review hun love ya (huggles)_

_Jml - Yeah Toby really does need to learn to mind his own business doesn't he!? Ah you gotta love beauty and the beast :) Thanks so much for the review sweetie, love ya! (huggles)_

_TheSilentType04 - Hmm yes poor all of them indeed lol! Thanks for the review hun I'm so glad you liked it! Love ya (hugs)_

_Sarah Brihene - Hehe yeah Toby is kinda cute in a twatish way lmao! Well I bet this chapter cheered you up a little XD aha thanks so much for the review hun! Love ya! (hugs)_

_Cheyenne - LMAO at your brain melting! Sad-fluff? Haha I don't even know myself and I wrote it XD Yeah you can't really blame toby for turning to the gin again after everything really can you? Well I'm very glad you lked it hun, thanks so much for the review :) Love ya! (huggles)_

_Catseyes8588 - Aww thanks sweetie! XD And yeah they DO fail at social-ness LMAO! XD Glad you like it hun, love ya! (hugs)_

_Jamie - Haha that is a good line! Lol aww glad to hear Bella is getting better :) Thanks for the review hun! Love ya! (huggles)_


	12. Chapter 12

_Hey loves, see now wasn't this quicker? XD It would have been up last night actually, I had it pretty much finished but I got such a bad headache I couldn't look at the screen for a moment longer. I keep getting them lately, headaches I mean, it's getting really annoying :(_

_Anyway, thank you so much for all being so understanding about the reply thing! Something I should have mentioned, I'll be sure to reply to all of you every now and then, because I do love chatting to you all XD I'm not just gonna stop replying full stop, I just mean I don't have time to write out individual replies to everybody every single chapter :)__ but yes, thanks so much, I really do feel bad about it because I adore reading your wonderful reviews so much, every one brightens my day, really - including PA it's been three thousand odd now and the novelty hasn't even slightly worn off, I still get so excited every time I see them in my inbox! XD But I'm so glad you all understand why I have to do this, I can totally focus on the story now so hopefully chapters will be better and faster! ;)_

_Love and thanks and hugs to everybody - oooh oh I also forgot to say last chap (sorry will shut up in a second) - Sex on the beach! Haha writing the chap reminded me of that song, remember it, it's old now. Dontcha think 'By the Sea' should be replaced with it? XD Hehe then I just /had/ to make a vid of that, some of you had already seen it lol but it's lame and only took me a minute - if anyone wants to make a better one feel free, just be sure to credit me for the idea and post as a response to mine ;) XD _

* * *

"Happy anniversary love." Mrs. Lovett beamed at her husband across the small dining table they were sat at - it seemed the necklace and the beach weren't the only things Sweeney had had planned for today. She clinked her glass against his and sipped from it. They were in the same restaurant he had taken her to before - on their official 'first date' - which had been but a couple of months ago of course.

It made her want to laugh then when she realised that their anniversary was actually only their second date as well.

"What?" He demanded at her little smile as she fiddled with her napkin.

She glanced up at him across the table. "We're doing things awfully backwards ain't we?"

His brow furrowed. "Huh?"

"Our second date _after_ we been together a year…and married with a baby!"

"Hmm."

She sighed.

"It's better this way." He muttered, taking a sip from his glass.

"Hmm. Yeah, spose." She snorted suddenly, giggling little.

"What's so funny?"

She grinned at him. "I bet no-one else ever 'ad as much fun on their first date as we did on ours." She told him, shooting him a wink. He had to smirk at that, really; she was right of course. His eyes darkened just to think of what they'd got up to that night.

"Your behaviour was quite indecent you know my dear - _scandalous _even," he said with such a straight face she would have sworn he was genuinely appalled if she didn't know him so well.

She blushed, looking down into her glass briefly. "Well that was your fault, filling me wine glass up all night! Not to mention the gin you was - literally - pouring down me throat when we got back." She said, glaring at him through narrow eyes tough unable to hide the smirk on her lips.

"It wasn' just down your throat I poured it," he muttered, leaning a little closer to her over the table to drop his voice as he spoke.

She leant her own elbows on the table, leaning in herself. "Hmm no, where else was it again?"

His lips parted as his gaze dropped briefly before he locked eyes with her again "I would say I'd remind you…but I think we'd be arrested."

She grinned at him. "Later then."

"Yes. Later"

He did remind her later, all too thoroughly. It was lucky Toby and Jimmy were fast asleep in the living room by the time they got in that night.

When she'd awoken next to his warm body, draped half over him in the morning she felt the most wonderful sense of contentment wash over her - a feeling she hadn't once experienced since that awful night. He saw the little smile appear on her face even before she blinked her eyes open, and consequently she looked up at him to a slight smile on his own face. Well, perhaps not so much of a smile as his forehead was void of the usual lines that crinkled it, and his dark eyes looked unmistakeably happy for once.

Then the frown was back - but she knew it was only for show. "What you grinning about?" He grumbled as he dislodged her from him and sat up, stretching.

"Same thing you are love," she'd teased lightly as she'd pulled herself out of bed too.

It was later that morning when she'd realised she was totally out of carrots and didn't have nearly enough filling already prepared to see her through the day, that she had to leave Toby to get the shop ready to open for lunch and scoop Jimmy up, taking him upstairs.

"Oh -" She stopped short as she entered Sweeney's shop at the sight of him pasting shaving cream onto the face of a middle aged gentleman. "Sorry dear - didn't realise you was with a customer - sorry sir," she apologised quickly at bursting in unannounced.

The man waved the apology off as Sweeney straightened to regard her with a raised eyebrow enquiring what she wanted.

"Alright if I leave Jimmy up 'ere with ya for a bit love?" She said, not really asking as she set him down on the floor, propping a teddy in front of him which he reached for eagerly with wide eyes and a big grin. "Juts popping out, won't be long - and I got the lad busy at work downstairs. Be a good boy Jimmy love," she told him, bending to kiss his head before standing up and turning to leave.

"Where are you going?" Came Sweeney's sharp voice.

"Just nipping to the grocers love, need some more vegetables."

He frowned. "Wait, I'll come."

Her brow furrowed. "What? But your busy - you got customers dear. I'll only be a minute, it's fine I'll go on me own."

"No you bloody won't!" He suddenly growled, his eyes flashing - then she knew what this was about.

Their eyes locked, her wide ones meeting his angry ones until they both looked away simultaneously, trying to cover the little exchange in front of the customer.

"I'll wait downstairs then," she muttered hastily before retreating quickly from the room and Sweeney cleared his throat, apologised for the interruption and finished his job (the normal way that is - he didn't think it would do his baby son's mental health any good if he witnessed what daddy _really_ did for a living.)

After bidding the man goodbye and locking up, he descended the stairs with Jimmy in one arm, to his wife taking his other at the bottom, "come on then," she said with a sigh.

"Let me just make this clear Nellie Lovett," He growled quietly to her as they began walking. "You are never, ever, going _anywhere _without me again."

She should have known this might be coming. Still - "don't ya think that's a little extreme love? I mean, it's the middle of the day, was only popping to the shop…"

"_No."_

She was silent for a moment, and when she glanced at him she caught sight of the fiercely stern expression he had plastered on his face and realised there was certainly no use trying to change his mind at the moment.

"Okay," she mumbled quietly. She wondered if he even noticed how silent she was the rest of the walk to the grocers and back.

She waited until later that evening to challenge him on the topic - hopefully when he'd had sufficient time to cool off and forget about it.

"Um…Mr. T…can we talk?"

"Hm?" He didn't glanced up from his razor as he sharpened it methodically and devotedly before putting them all away for the night.

"You know…what you said earlier? 'Bout me going out on me own?"

He stopped sharpening. "What about it?"

"I'm not - I don't…um - I don't think that's very practical for one thing love apart from the fact that - well…I don't like it. It ain't fair -"

The death glare he was directing at her shut her up promptly.

"Don't tell me you've _forgotten _what happened already Mrs. Lovett?" He mocked, his voice icy.

She looked hurt, a frown crossing her face. "'Course I bloody 'aven't," she mumbled, looking down.

"But why did that happen?" His voice was chillingly quiet.

She looked back up at him sharply. "Huh?"

"_Why, _did it happen?"

"Because…I went out at night…"

"When I told you not to."

She nodded. "I know, I -"

"It happened because you didn't listen to me, you didn't do what I told you - which is why you will _never _do anything I tell you not to do again, understood?"

She was staring at him in shock. "Sweeney -"

"_Understood!?"_ He ground out.

She'd been going to argue - she opened her mouth to do so but - stopped short. What could she argue? He was right after all…the most terrible of things had happened because she didn't listen to him, she knew he had every right to be angry and she also knew she didn't have a leg to stand on if she turned this into an argument. So instead she bowed her head, uttering quietly, "yes, understood."

"Good." He went back to sharpening his razor, somewhat more determined than before. "So you do as I tell you. You are not to leave this house without me."

She left without saying another word, shutting the door loudly, angry at the fact she knew she had no right to be angry at him.

Once downstairs she went straight down to the bake house to seek out the gin she had hidden from Toby down there and saw herself down on the floor, propped up against the table.

She wasn't happy about it, but what could she do? It _was _her fault after all. She had no right to be angry at him, and no reason to be upset about it. So she settled for a deep frown as she sat in sulky silence with the bottle of gin for comfort.

Upstairs Sweeney seethed. Bloody woman. He couldn't believe she had the nerve to challenge him about this, after what -

Yes. That. He didn't want to drag that to the front of his mind again, it had been there for far too long, and it seemed yesterday that they were finally able to start putting it behind them - clearly that was not the case. It would never be gone, the most they could hope for was that it was most often temporarily forgotten.

At least he could comfort himself knowing that it would never happen again. He had made the firm decision never to let her far out of his sight again and this would be made easier to follow through with her agreement not to leave the house without him. She hadn't looked happy about it, but he was sure she wouldn't have the nerve to go against him behind his back again; he knew she'd learnt her lesson far too well and painfully as far as disobeying him was concerned.

He tried to comfort himself with this thought, tried to tell himself there would be nothing else to worry about, but he still couldn't shake the slight - uneasiness? No, not exactly, more of an unsettled sort of feeling when he thought about her. Which, he forced himself to acknowledge, was constantly. It used to be physically that she wouldn't leave him alone, all that time ago that seemed like a different life now, when he was plotting his revenge on the judge, hunger for the sweetness of that kill all that occupied his mind. Then she would be there, buzzing around him, badgering him to eat or pestering him with pointless questions and meaningless small talk.

He'd hated her for that. For taking his mind off his revenge where it should be, even if it was only briefly or temporarily - all he allowed. Until it started disobeying him and straying to her more often than it should. He'd hated her for that too. He hated her for it then, and he hated her for it now.

Well, not her, exactly. He loved _her _of course - that was the problem - he more hated _the fact _that she'd made him feel like this, made him obsessed with her like this than he actually hated _her_ for it.

He thought of her now, how she was probably upset down there - or sulking. The sudden burning urge to go down and find out made him dig his nails hard into the arms of the chair. No, he would resist. He could do it, this was becoming silly, he had to stop it, he hadn't realised quite how bad he'd actually become until he let himself think about it.

This past week…he'd been pretty much living in the moment. He knew if he'd let himself _think _he surely would have lost it. But now he finally was thinking…well, she seemed alright now. But were they? Yesterday told him yes, they were and they would be - so what was this bad feeling he got every time he thought of her? It was like a burning…like he wanted her here right this minute, he wanted her, wanted to go to her and grab her and hold her tight - maybe not even take her, he just -

He let out a sudden shout of annoyance, slamming his fist down on the arm of his chair and rising to his feet suddenly. He paced the room, up, down, up and down, flying round each time he changed direction, his paces becoming quicker, harder as he forced himself to think of something - anything but her - but she was all he saw -

"_Leave me alone!" _He suddenly roared, whirling and swiping everything off his barbering table in one quick sudden movement, letting it crash to the floor. His fist flew into the mirror, watching it smash, feeling nothing as shards of glass tore into his flesh, before ripping it clean off it's frame and hurling that to the floor too.

His heart was pounding now, adrenalin was rushing through his veins, channelling itself into his frustration and anger, and he didn't stop while his head was momentarily blank of nothing but the anger, and smashed his fist into the other tall mirror, watching that shatter in it's frame and fall to the floor in a trillion pieces. He stood breathing hard just for half a second - before the reason for his violence fled to the front of his mind again and he let out another frustrated yell, grabbing hold of his desk and slamming it over, upturning everything on it and making a huge crash as the drawers flew out and pens, paper, scissors and bottles went everywhere, and he kicked them across the floor, not even aware of what he was doing, only of what he was trying to achieve -

She was still there. There, here, always there, she always would be - he wanted her, needed her here, he needed her now - he almost went to her - but didn't trust himself not to do something terrible in this fit of rage he was in, he knew he would scare her, he was scaring himself knowing that he couldn't trust his own mind, didn't know what it would drive him to do - but he needed her _so much _-

Fast as a flash his razor was out and open and letting out a pain filled, "_no!" _He yanked his sleeve up and dragged the blade suddenly, deeply, through his arm, wincing and yelling in pain as he cut a deep gash, making blood spill from it. He stood, breathing hard, numbly watching the blood flow from the cut…after a few moments he let out another sudden yell and threw his razor across the room. She was still there - he saw only _her_ blood flow as he watched it…

He kicked his chair, flew at it with his fists and anger, punching and kicking it hard, then spun on his upturned desk and kicked that to pieces, grabbing everything he could off the floor and hurling it across the room for as long as he could - until finally he fell to the floor against the wall, exhaustion forcing him to stop his rampage, breathing hard and heavily, his hands shaking as he ran them through his hair, clenching fistfuls of it, trying to rock himself out of his crazed stupor, his rage finally gone, leaving only distressed numbness in it's wake…

The first crash had turned her stomach over. She flew to her feet, about to make for the door of the bake house to find out what the bloody hell it was - what if Jimmy had knocked the cabinet over or something awful - he could be hurt -

Another crash followed and she stopped short, pausing to listen, her heart pounding. Another crash, and another - and that time she heard a distinctive yell -

Sweeney.

"Oh my God…" she whispered. What was he doing!?

She nearly flung the door open and flew up the stairs to him - but she heard him yell again. He was mad. Fuming. He was in one of his rages - she knew those all to well and she knew how unreasonable he was when he got like that and she had never, ever known him to be as bad as this - there was no knowing what he would do if she went near him now. Another crash and a hand flew to her mouth as her throat tightened, not able to bear the sounds of this, not able to bear the fact they made her face…

She slumped against the door, sliding down it to wait it out until he calmed down, tears spilling down her cheeks as she listened in terrified silence to the sounds of her husband's devastating insanity.

* * *

_Aha I had too much fun writing the last bit. It's kinda worrying how easily I can understand his insanity and how his mind would work when he's like this…:S XD_

_I'm actually quite proud of myself because as of yet I've managed to keep this story marvellously on track - not like PA which used to constantly wonder off on me when I wasn't looking and I'd be scrambling to find the bleeding thing again. But this one's behaving itself so far, I just checked this really rough chapter plan I wrote out before I started and was shocked to find that I'm bang on, this is exactly what was meant to be in chapter 12! I think that's something of a miracle for me! Wayhey! :pats self on back:_

_Well love to you all until next time which I can promise now shall be soon! XD Take care loves! :hugs everyone:_


	13. Chapter 13

_Hellooo sweeties! I'm wondering where a lot of you have gone…O.o I'm thinking (/hoping/ it's not the story :S) that it's either because I'm not review replying individually anymore - or I've updated too quick to give you a chance to review that last chap - and I really hope it's the latter! :(_

_Well anyway. A lot of you were like 'Sweene's turning emo!' in the last chap, which made me laugh quite a lot XD but just to clarify - /no/, he's not - him stabbing himself in the arm was purely part of his rage and desperation to get her out of his head and he clearly seemed to think blood might help for a moment :rolls eyes: basically he's just loosing it lol! I didn't even think of it being anything like him 'cutting himself' in the whole 'emo' way lmao XD_

_Now me dears. Enough of this foolish chatter. Roll on chapter 13..._

* * *

Glass crunched under her quiet footsteps as she stepped slowly and cautiously into the room, her eyes wide and lips parted. She stared. Every breakable object had been smashed into pieces - and even the unbreakable objects like the desk and small table he'd kicked and thrown and bashed in until they too were in bits.

And then she saw him. He was still, so still that dreadful terror filled her for a moment, until she realised that he was standing and breathing steadily.

His back was to her, he was facing that window again; he hadn't even reacted to her arrival. Maybe he hadn't even noticed. Very tentatively she tried, "Sweeney?"

There was no reply but she didn't expect one. She took another step, with another crunch. And another, and another, the crunching echoing throughout the chillingly quiet room. Finally she came to a stop behind him. She tried again, softly, trying to will her voice not to shake. "Sweeney, love?"

He didn't reply but she could tell he'd heard her, by the way his shoulders stiffened and his breathing skipped. She reached out a hand and placed it on his arm - he flinched suddenly from the contact, whirling and reeling backwards from her and she jumped and snapped her hand away as if she'd touched hot coals, staggering back a couple of steps herself.

"S-sorry love - didn't mean to scare you," she told him gently.

He was staring at her like she was crazy, almost like he couldn't understand what she was doing stood in front of him, what she was saying.

She swallowed. "Are you alright?"

He jolted then and let out a deep breath - she hadn't even noticed he'd been holding it. He stared at her for maybe three seconds - before suddenly he came at her, striding quickly towards her - but he stopped just in front of her, stared at her again, pain and confusion flickering briefly across his face before he whirled round quickly, hurrying back to stand before the window.

"Go." It was just a whisper. She noticed his fists were clenched tightly at his side.

She swallowed hard again then made her way steadily over to him. "I ain't going nowhere love," she whispered gently.

He tensed. "You should. I can't - I…I'm sorry…" He sounded so lost she wanted to cry for him.

"No," she shook her head firmly, "turn around. Look at me. _Look _at me Sweeney!"

He did, very slowly. He looked almost as if he were afraid of her. "Why did you do this love?" Her voice shook but she knew she had to say it.

He opened his mouth a couple of times before he looked away from her wide eyes and muttered, "you."

A flicker of pain crossed her face. "Me?" Her eyes filled with tears. "I made ya that mad?"

He shook his head tensely suddenly. "No - you….you…"

"I'm sorry love, I'm so sorry - what I said 'bout it being unfair, I shouldn't, I -"

"No!" He suddenly cut her off sharply. "That's not it. I just…you…I just…" He snapped his eyes to hers suddenly and the gaze was so intense she almost reeled back from it. "It's so strong -"

She frowned. "What's strong?"

"You! What can I do!? There's nothing - I don't know what - I can't! It won't go, you won't go, you never will - why!?"

She was shaking her head, complete confusion and incomprehension shining though her tear filled eyes. "You're not making any sense!"

"_You're_ not making any sense! I'm not - you're not!"

She took in a deep breath and stepped closer towards him. "Sweeney, I don't - don't know what to do, I don't know what's wrong, 'ow - I can't - can't deal with ya like this, I -"

"_You _can't deal with _me _like this!?" He suddenly snapped, "how the fuck do you think I felt last week with you crying and shaking dragging me into bed every five minutes and watching what you were making me do tear you apart -"

"_Don't!" _

He spun from her suddenly again, breathing hard now as behind him, she tried to get control of her tears.

Finally, after a few long minutes she managed to say, "But it's over now. That's all over, that's past, we…I thought we were alright now?"

He only shook his head.

"But…its _over _-"

"That's not it." He bit out sharply.

Her brow furrowed again. "Then…?"

"It's you. Everything. Just you."

"But what 'ave I done!?"

"Nothing!" He exclaimed suddenly, whirling to face her again. "It's just…everything. What happened…_everything. _I could've lost you…and someone else -" A flash of anger and hurt shot through his eyes briefly. "You're mine!"

She nodded, her eyes still filled with pain for him. "Yes, you know that. Always, I promise - we'll be fine, Sweeney, we just -"

"No!" He ran a hand through his hair. "I know. It's - it's not enough. I don't know how to make it stop -"

"Make what stop?" She tried, desperately trying to understand his only half-sane ramblings.

"This. You - I just…I need…" He shook his head tensely again.

"What do you need love? You need me? Then take me, I'm yours, always yours, take me if you need me." She said desperately, stepping up close to him.

He stared at her with wild eyes. "I can't." He whispered finally.

"You can, of course you can, I'm yours love -"

"No - I can't - I…I don't want to hurt you." His whisper sent shivers down her spine.

Her brow furrowed. "Hurt me - of course you won't hurt me -"

"I might…"

She shook her head. "Sweeney - I'm past all that, you know that -"

"No! No I can't - just go! Please go!"

"No!" She grabbed hold of the front of his shirt with both hands, pressing herself close to him. "I ain't going - I ain't afraid of ya Sweeney, I -"

"You should be!" He suddenly threatened, pushing her away from him, roughly but not violently - but in shoving her she caught sight of his rolled up shirt sleeve - and the painfully deep gash down his forearm.

She gasped loudly, grabbing his hand to look at it. "'Ow - 'ow did you get that!?" She stuttered, dreading that she knew the answer as soon as she'd spoken the question.

"How do you think!?" He spat, yanking his arm away from her. "Even blood won't stop it." An icy pause. "Not my blood."

She swallowed hard, her whole insides freezing at his words - she was terrified to even contemplate the meaning of that. "You - tomorrow'll come soon - you'll 'ave somebody to - _you know _- then…" she tried desperately, pretending she thought this was what he meant - hoping she was wrong and it was -

He shook his head firmly. "No."

"You will!" She insisted.

"'S'not it."

She was forcing back tears. It then dawned on her that when he'd told her he didn't want to hurt her, he wasn't referring to sex. He meant, he didn't want to _hurt her _- physically - and he was afraid that he would…

She couldn't let this go unsaid, she'd never be able to sleep again if she didn't know for sure - she had to be wrong - he couldn't mean… "Ya want my blood?" Her voice was barely a whisper - but he heard it -

"No!" He suddenly roared - at her or himself!? "No, no, no, no - never - no!" He strode towards her suddenly and grabbed hold of her, pulling her fiercely to him and holding her so tightly she could hardly breathe. "I love you," he was muttering fiercely into her hair.

"I love you too," she squeaked out. Then after a moment, "please stop this," she begged into his shoulder. "please - you're scaring me like this Sweeney, I dunno 'ow to deal wi' you - I dunno what I can do -"

"Nothing, you can't do anything…" He held her in silence for a long time and she gripped him tightly back until finally he muttered, "I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "S'alright," she sniffed deeply. "Ya can't 'elp it, ya don't meant it I know that - just get yerself in a bit of a state sometimes right love?" She tried to say it as casually as if she were telling him the weather was bad at times - but the way her voice caught made the effort pointless.

Still, he nodded.

She sniffed hard again before she extracted herself from his arms, taking a firm hold of one of his hands and squeezing it tightly. "Come on love - it's late - let's get downstairs huh?" She pulled him up and he let her, and followed her down, leaving the poor devastated room finally in peace.

Jimmy was crying in the living room. Toby was trying to hush him but his desperate attempts were pointless. His wide eyes snapped to the pair as they entered the room.

"It's alright love," Mrs. Lovett cut him off before he could say a word. She glanced uneasily at Sweeney. "Mr. T just, um, 'ad a bit of an accident up there - knocked 'is desk over didn't you love? Lucky 'e weren't 'urt - now - come on Jimmy, let's get you to bed love you're tired," she spoke quickly avoiding Toby's eyes as she made her way over to her son and picked him up, bouncing him in her arms. Toby didn't say a word. He wasn't stupid and she knew it.

Sweeney looked painfully lost when she'd shut them in their room and settled Jimmy down in his cot and watched as his dark eyes slid almost instantly closed. She crossed the room and sat down on the bed, tugging her boots and stockings off. She glanced up at him. "You alright?" She asked him softly.

He nodded, a tense frown on his face, moving forward to stand close to her. He lifted a hand and brushed a loose strand of hair from her eyes, sliding his palm over her cheek and letting his hand come to rest on the side of her neck. She lifted her own hand to place over his, nuzzling into his palm a little "Come on, let's get into bed," she whispered gently, letting him take her words whichever way he pleased, turning her head to place a kiss on his hand.

She wasn't going to force it - she was worried she would trigger his anger off again somehow - but she made it plain she was willing if he wanted her by standing and stripping her dress and underclothes off in silence and slipping into bed and under the covers without putting a nightgown on. She looked over at him, giving him a weak smile, all she could manage, and he stared at her for a moment, a deep frown on his face as if he were thinking hard - and then he decided and undressed himself swiftly and silently, sliding into bed beside her and moving to lean over her.

He leant down and their mouths met, he let his hands run the length of her sides as he kissed her slowly and deeply - almost tensely - it felt to her almost as if he were deliberately forcing himself to be like this.

He was. He was worried that if he let himself give into his insatiable need for her fully he would end up hurting her. He was positive of it - he felt even now as if he were teetering on the brink of doing…_something _- something bad, but he didn't know what. He trembled - she felt it because she tensed suddenly underneath him, but he tried to brush it off by moving his kiss from her mouth to her jaw line, placing soft kisses all along it and down her neck, nipping and licking her skin delicately, forcing himself not to grip her hips hard as his hands came to rest there.

She slipped her little hand down between their bodies, letting it glide over his taught stomach to wrap it firmly round the base of his hard shaft. He groaned against her skin as she teased him a little, squeezing him just ever so slightly as she let her hand glide up and down his length a few times. He was already between her legs and when she shifted them further apart, shifting her body underneath him a little at the same time to guide him into her, his hand dug firmly into her hip, pinning her to the bed and preventing her from joining their bodies they way she wanted -

Her hand still wrapped round him, he slid his own down to rub her softly, drawings soft mews and gasps from her open mouth. She gripped his shoulder with her other hand - and she didn't _care_ about anything then - anything else except them, like this - and as long as there was always this they would be alright.

Although their foreplay had been gentle, he took her roughly when he did slide into her, and drove her forcefully into the bed with every deep thrust of his hips, his hands gripping hers hard where he had grasped and pinned them beside her head, nearly making her gasp out in pain as she felt the blood circulation being near cut off.

But she didn't, she let him take her like this, she leant up to kiss him again, and hooked a leg around him, lifting it higher, letting him in deeper, worried that if she showed even a flicker of anything that could put any sort of doubt into his head as far as she was concerned that it could set him off again. Usually once his rage had worn off that was it and he was alright - but she'd never seen him quite so worked up as that.

"I love you," she breathed into his ear when they climaxed together, and it had seemed to be enough because he slid out of her and rolled into his side, let her snuggle into him and sighed, laying quiet and still as their breathing returned to normal.

"Do you love me?" She whispered into the darkness when he still hadn't said it back.

It was a silly question but he was used to it by now, and didn't bother grumbling at her anymore for it, instead answering automatically, "yes."

She sighed and was about to settle down, letting her eyes slide shut when he continued, "more than I should."

She snapped her eyes open and demanded to know what he meant but he wouldn't say another word, only told her gruffly to 'go to bloody sleep' when she kept on at him.

When she sulkily shut up they lay in tense silence for a long time, an hour maybe, neither anywhere near sleep but both pretending they were. Then suddenly, Sweeney spoke, his rough voice making her jump in the dark.

"I'm sorry Nellie."

He breath caught. "For what?" Even though it was obvious.

"Me."

She shook her head, shifting to slip her arm over him. "It's alright."

"It's not, I…I don't know what came over me."

"Shh love, it's fine. Don't be upsetting yerself now. Just…'ad a lot to deal with this past week huh? We'll be alright now." She told him.

She told herself too, over and over as they lay in the silence, but she knew deep down she feared for him - and them. The way he could turn…

She felt her blood run cold as something that, instead realisation, was more acceptance of a long known but ignored fact, one she knew she couldn't continue to brush aside and pretend to ignore for much longer…

She was married to a madman.

* * *

_Well there we go, these next ones may be pretty quick cause I'm really on a roll now XD_

_And seeing as the story is behaving itself so far in terms of sticking to my plan, I will let you all know now that /if/ it continues to behave it should be just twenty chapters long. I know that sounds pretty short even to me when I saw it like that, but believe me, there's a /lot/ that can happen in seven chapters…;)_

_Love to everyone as always, hope you're all still enjoying, your reviews are loved and huggled as always huns! XD_

_Cheyenne - About Jimmy…well you'll just have to wait and see what happens haha I'm not telling you anything :P But Toby - Toby /doesn't/ know about the whole people pies thing - he found out that Sweeney killed the judge but that's it - he still has no clue about the pies lol! Thanks so much for the review hun, and LOL that's okay, no offence taken, I find it pretty disturbing myself XD (and no, I'm not a homicidal barber as well…:shifty eyes: :P) Love ya! (hugs)_


	14. Chapter 14

_Got another lengthy one for you all XD_

_A few of you asked if I was planning on anything else after Obsession is done with so thought I'd tell you all here...yes is the short answer. I actually have a tonne of ideas for other Sweenetts, as well as ones for another sequel to this...but I don't know about that yet. But basically, no, I have no plans of stopping writing Sweenett anytime soon - as well as several one-shots, there's one fic in particular I have written a load of that I'm definitely going to post after this one (I did think about posting it up now and running it alongside Obsession…but I probably won't, it would mean slower chapters for both) and that will be another multi-chapter but not anything to do with this or PA. Gosh I love them so much I feel like I could write this pairing forever! XD_

_Well I'd like to thank you all a million times over for your reveiws for chapter 13. Also I know a lot of you were sad about the twenty chapters thing, but if you recall I did say 15 - 20 originally when I was planning on a sequel and I think I mentioned at the beginning it would be nowhere near the length of PA...just trust me, it'll be fine lol! Um...I'm pretty sure there was a few of you I meant to reply individually to, but this is me /trying/ to have an early night (it's 2.45am :S) cause I was actually falling asleep at work today LOL so I promise I'll either reply to it with your next review or do it tomorrow if I have time. Love you all, you make my life worth living! Well, that's a little overdramatic, but you do make my days bright with your wonderful words loves! Hope you enjoy this chapter as well!!_

_And remember what I was saying last chap about this not going off track yet? Yeah, it heard me, didn't get half of what was supposed to be in this one actually in here. :sigh: ah well, hope you all enjoy the read anyway :P_

* * *

She was up before he was in the morning, already dressed and having fed Jimmy and just putting him back in his crib when her husband blinked his eyes open. She gave him a glance and muttered a 'morning'' with a small smile which was a little awkward before bustling out of the room.

He was sat on the bed buttoning his waistcoat up when she returned, bowl of water, bottle of gin, cloth and tin in hand. He was wondering what she was up to and was about to ask her when she answered his question by placing the stuff on the bedside table, sitting herself down next to him, taking his injured arm and rolling his sleeve up to his elbow - all without saying a word.

She tutted loudly as she inspected the gash. Blood had dried all round and over it - but even through it all she could see it was deep. She grabbed her cloth and plunged it into the bowl of steaming water, ringing it out and starting to clean the blood away from the wound. Sweeney hissed loudly and jerked his arm out of her grasp as soon as the hot cloth touched him.

She gave another tut and a loud huff. "Keep still love, gotta clean this, it's nasty." she grumbled at him.

He gave her his arm back, muttering, "sorry, it hurt."

"I'm not surprised. Now 'old still."

He did while she dabbed and washed the dried blood from and around the gash, clenching his teeth against the hot pain from the still open wound. Once it was clean, Mrs. Lovett was a little shocked; it was actually even deeper than she'd thought.

"Think you might need stitches in this love…" she mumbled as she peered at it.

He pulled it away from her, scowling. "No, I don't."

"It's awful deep…you gonna 'ave one hell of a scar if you don't…"

"I am anyway. Who cares, just bloody clean it and get it over with."

She sighed heavily. "Fine, gi' me yer arm back then," she said heavily as she reached for the bottle of gin and poured some onto the cloth. He did, sighing and bracing himself for the pain.

He hissed as she dabbed the alcohol on it, feeling it seeping into the wound, burning every inch of the raw open flesh.

"You silly man, I can't believe you did this to yourself." She muttered as she dabbed at it.

"I didn't think."

"Obviously."

When she glanced briefly up at him she saw his eyebrows were knitted together. "Just thought…seeing blood would help…I usually feel better after…" he trailed off, aware of how wrong and bad his words were even as he uttered them.

She could say a lot of things to that but she opted for a flippant remark, mumbling, "well your _own_ blood ain't gonna do no-one no bloomin' good is it, you idiot." She wiped at the wound with the gin soaked cloth, ignoring his twitching and tensing at the pain which he was obviously trying to pretend wasn't half as bad as she knew it must be by the way he kept so deadly silent.

By the time she was done it was bleeding again, and she bit her lip a little, still convinced he needed stitches but when she tried again he wouldn't have any of it.

"Alright!" She snapped finally. "Don't blame me when it gets infected and yer arm falls off." She wrapped it in a strip of cloth she had also dabbed with gin first, tying it on top in a small bow and pulled his sleeve back down over it before getting up form the bed, picking all the stuff up.

"It's not going to get infected," he argued. "You've cleaned it, fine now, isn't it?"

"Yeah but if it keeps opening it ain't gonna be." She snapped. She paused and sighed when he didn't respond, realising she was being a little harsh about this. "Sorry," she mumbled. "Just can't believe you done this to yerself…" she sighed, moving to stand before him where he was still seated on the bed, looking up at her. "What am I gonna do wi' you love…" she said exasperatedly, bringing her free hand up to run through his hair.

He was silent a second, looking into her sad eyes - before he grinned suddenly, breaking the tension. "I have a few ideas…"

She smiled then, pushing his head a little before leaning down to meet is lips, intending to place a chaste kiss there but nearly dropping the things she held in her arm when he seized her suddenly, thrusting both hands into her hair and his tongue diving into her mouth as he kissed her fiercely - but quickly, pulling back and releasing her before she'd even had a chance to respond and leaving her wide-eyed and breathless, flinging a hand out to steady herself on the bedside table lest she stagger over. He smirked.

"Bloody 'ell love, gimme a bit o' warning when yer gonna do that!" She gasped.

He got to his feet, still smirking. "Now where would be the fun it that?" He growled playfully, running a hand across the exposed flesh of the tops of her breasts as he brushed past her and left her alone to catch her breath.

When she'd composed herself she glanced in the mirror briefly, fixing her hair, and made her way through to the shop.

Toby was blocking her way in the living room. She mumbled a 'morning' and tried to step round him but he stepped in front of her.

She frowned. "What?"

He folded his arms, scowling. She looked down - not as far as she used to; nearing level now - into his eyes. Since when had he been so tall? She stood straighter herself.

"What did 'e do!?" Toby demanded.

She frowned and opened her mouth to tell him sharply that she'd told him already - but he cut her off.

"And you can forget the story 'bout knocking the desk over. I may not be the brightest but I ain't that stupid."

"'E did, Toby," she muttered quietly, the frown still in place. "'E caught 'is foot on it and brought the 'ole lot down - it knocked the mirror over an' all, made an awful racket."

Toby's scowl deepened. "You forget mum, I've seen 'ow 'e looses it - I've been on the worst end of 'is temper more than once. Don't lie to me."

"Why would I be lying!?" She demanded crossly, her voice slightly high.

"Because you always do when it's 'bout 'im - yer always so worried 'bout protecting 'im and not making 'im look bad - I 'eard 'im yelling - I 'eard all the crashing - you know I did, there ain't no point in even _trying _to pretend -"

"Alright!" She finally snapped. "Alright, 'e lost it - that what you wanna 'ear!? Lost 'is temper - lost 'is bleeding _mind _- 'e broke everything, trashed 'is room and stabbed 'imsef in the fucking arm _- y'appy now!?_"

Toby stared at her as she breathed hard for a moment, before quickly looking down, holding a shaking hand to her forehead.

"I - I'm - I'm sorry mum, I -"

"Yeah, ya should be." She muttered. She took a deep breath, looking back up at him. "Toby I really thought you'd 'ave learnt by now to keep out of what don't concern you - especially when it's something what concerns Mr. Todd…and don't you bother with the 'ole 'it does concern me too' cause it bloody don't, our problems are _our _bloody problems."

Toby shut his mouth.

"And yes, there are a _lot _of problems lately, it don't bloody 'elp when _you _wanna drag 'em up all the time as well."

Toby frowned at her for a moment, before he said, "but - but I care 'bout ya mum! I worry 'bout ya…"

She lifted a hand to his cheek, her face softening. "I know love. But me and Mr. T…we'll work things out on our own don't worry. And I know ya care…but if I _want _yer 'elp I'll ask for it alright?"

"Alright," he mumbled.

She smiled, ruffling his hair. "There's a good lad. Now run along and get to yer chores."

"Yes mum," he obeyed, turning and scuttling away.

She sighed heavily. As much as she loved the lad, it was a pain having him around sometimes. He was far too nosey for his own good and she really would have thought he'd have learnt his lesson as far as that was concerned a long time ago…

What she hated was that he was always right about Sweeney, he always made her think, put her thoughts into words - or made her do it - which made it worse than if they remained just thoughts. It made it harder to pretend everything was okay all the time.

She'd been all ready to put yesterday out of her head, brush it aside and lock it away in the dark closet at the back of her mind along with the other stuff she shouldn't be ignoring. But now, Toby had made her think about it again.

She still didn't really know what had caused Sweeney's little outburst. She guessed it must have just been the tiny disagreement they had had about her going out alone - but then that had barely even _been_ a disagreement…but she supposed she didn't know what went on in his head - she shivered to think about it actually - it had probably started him off thinking about…_that _- again.

"You…" he'd said, "just you."

Even the memory of him saying those words like that chilled her. And she didn't want to think what he'd mean by he loved her 'too much'…Sweeney Todd loving her was what she'd always wanted wasn't it? Maybe she hadn't thought about what that wish would bring - the phrase 'be careful what you wish for, it might come true' flicked into her mind before she felt so angry with herself for thinking that she wanted to scream at it.

She didn't _care_ what she had to deal with. He was worth it. His _love _was worth it, because she loved him more than anything and nothing would ever change that.

He seemed fine today anyway. Both of them acted as though nothing had happened. He disappeared upstairs all morning and when she went to bring him his lunch up in the early afternoon, the room had been cleaned.

He'd swept everything up, put all the furniture back the right way and had stacked the broken objects by the door, obviously there to be thrown out or burnt. Her eyes swept the tidy space - such a shocking contrast to the devastated state she'd left it in last night - but she didn't mention anything, and neither did he. She gave him his lunch and complained briefly about the awful storm that was brewing outside before disappearing back down to her shop.

It was about early evening just before it started to get dark (although due to the storm that now raged outside her little shop it already was basically dark) when her husband thumped down the back stairs and slunk into her shop as she was stood leaning on her counter, head leant on her hand, staring absently at the rain that thundered the streets outside.

She turned her head to give him a smile and a sigh, straightening as he came in.

"Quiet day huh?"

"Hmm."

"This bloody weather. Doubt anyone's gonna venture out in it. 'Alf thinking I might as well just close actually."

"Aven't seen a soul since lunchtime. Stuck three blooming batches in the oven as well - they'll be wasted now cause I don't expect we'll get anyone for dinner tonight either; this looks like it's set in."

He'd made his way casually over to her as she' chattered and came to a stop before her.

She opened her mouth to talk some more but saw how his eyes caught hers before flicking down briefly to roam over her body before flicking back to hers. Her breath caught in her throat. God she loved him.

"Where's the boy?"

She shrugged. "Around somewhere. I let 'im off. No point both of us stood 'ere bored all day."

"Jimmy?"

"Napping."

"Good." He was pressed against her, his hands on her waist and lips on her neck before she even registered he'd moved. She slid her arms round his strong back, pressing him to her, her eyes fluttering shut at the sensations of his lips, tongue and teeth on her skin.

He slid his mouth down to her chest, nipping at the soft skin of her breasts, half spilling out over the too-low dress she lace up too tight. He tugged briefly at the material so as to expose a breast for him to assault with his mouth, but found it to be of the stiff kind and done up securely at the back so he gave up, placing one last kiss on the top of her breast, sucking the skin briefly but not too enthusiastically, knowing how she would box his ears for leaving a mark on her, then he straightened briefly to smirk at her.

He dropped to his knees before her, grabbing hold of her skirts and pushing them upwards. She felt her stomach lurch.

"Sweeney!" She hissed, trying half-heartedly to push him away. "The bloody shop's still open!"

"Nobody's gonna come in…" he mumbled, pinning the front of her skirts up at her hip with one hand, his other running up her thigh to tug at the waistband of her undergarments.

"Sweeney…" she tried again, still pushing weakly at his shoulders, but he pulled her bloomers down her legs and she knew protesting was pointless and gave up, sliding her hands from his shoulder to wind through his coarse hair as he kissed his way up her thigh, making her legs want to buckle before he'd even got anywhere near where he ultimately intended.

She shifted her legs apart as much as she could with her undergarments round her knees, and was half tempted to just kick them off before he slid a hand up between her legs as his mouth reached her damp curls and she forgot all thoughts of anything.

One gloved hand gripped the counter to steady herself as she felt his tongue dip between her hot folds and she breathed out a heavy sigh, moaning softly as he licked her, gently at first - before he found the spot that made her quiver and his licks became rough as he worked her inside with two of his fingers.

"Mmmm Sweeney…" she breathed, throwing her head back, clenching her hand in his hair, rocking her hips in time to him -

She gasped and he froze as the shop door flew open with a sudden gust of wind and burst of bells as two drowned figures stumbled in, slamming it firmly shut behind them.

"Goodness me what a storm!" The woman exclaimed, lifting her coat from her head as Mrs. Lovett desperately shoved at Sweeney who was hidden from their sight behind the counter - but to her horror he didn't move.

"Afternoon!" She squeaked. "I'm surprised anyone's out in this!" She tried to wriggle out of his grasp as discreetly as she could, tugging at his hair to get his hot mouth away from her - where it was still shamefully doing painfully good things to her. She realised the vice-like grip he had on her skirts was pinning her in place and making wrenching herself away from him impossible to do without it being obvious.

"Awful isn't it!" The woman agreed.

"Absolutely ghastly!" The man with her, assumed to be her husband, spoke up.

Sweeney sucked on Mrs. Lovett's most sensitive of spots and her legs nearly buckled as she let out a gasp which she quickly covered with a cough. "Actually - was - just - just about to close!" She said quickly, giving a shrill little laugh. "Not feeling too well - must be the weather!" She coughed loudly again, using it this time to try a little jerk of her body to get herself out of his grasp - but with no success.

"Oh, well we only -"

She interrupted them quickly. "Terribly sorry must close, really not feeling good - and I've got so much to do!" The silent chortle he gave against her sent a wave of hot breath onto her and she nearly gasped aloud, clenching her hand tighter in his hair, knowing it must be hurting him - hoping it was! The damn bastard…

"Ah, quite alright - we only wanted to know if you knew where the nearest inn is? We're visiting relatives you see but arrived a day early and they're out of town it seems."

Now this would be the point where she would normally try and persuade them to stay for a pie - as they were here and all - don't fancy sampling one of the best pies in all of London? But today she couldn't get them out the door quick enough.

"Of course - that's The King's Arms - just a few streets from 'ere," she told them hurriedly.

"Right and how do we get there?"

Sweeney's fingers slipped out and his tongue slid inside her instead -

"What was that?" The man asked her.

"Nothing!" She bit the inside of her mouth to prevent another squeak escaping her. Oh, she was going to _kill _him for this…! "Um just…just down that way -" she pointed, "er, at the end um…um…"

"Right," Sweeney breathed against her, just low enough for her to hear and sending more waves of pleasure through her with his hot breath, his fingers slipping back inside her and his tongue returning to wreak havoc on the little bundle of nerves at the top of her sex.

"Right! Right at the end!" She squeaked out. "Then straight down there and next left, it's up there on the right, ya can't miss it!" She spoke so quickly the couple blinked at her.

"Sorry what was that?" Right at the end of this street…?" The man asked.

Sweeney was bringing her closer, it was taking everything inside her not to give into the waves of pleasure shooting through her and show it on her face.

She repeated her instructions, following them with, "ya better 'urry, I've 'eard it gets awful busy in there," knowing she had only moments before not showing anything on her face would be impossible.

"Right, thanks." The woman said, giving her a strange look. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but thankfully, the man thanked her too and took his wife by the arm, opening the door for her and ushering her out, leaving himself and shutting it firmly behind him.

Mrs. Lovett threw her head back, letting out a hoarse, drawn out moan, gasping as her climax gripped her and her knees buckled. She sank into Sweeney's arms as she moaned out her pleasure and he worked her through her orgasm with his fingers until finally her tremors died down and she was left gasping in his arms on the floor.

"You bloody bastard!" She swore at him, panting heavily.

He had the nerve to laugh at her.

She thumped him in the chest.

"You have to admit, that was pretty funny." He told her, still smirking.

She scowled at him, scrambling out of his grip, yanking her undergarments back up and throwing her skirts down, even as she still twitched from little waves of after-pleasure. "Well I'm glad _somebody _found it amusing! See how funny it is when _you're_ on the receiving end shall we?" She fumed.

Sweeney smirked wider. "I'll look forward to that my dear."

She wanted to slap him.

"_But _- I must point out that my shop doesn't have a counter, so I guess that's that one out the window."

"I ain't laughing Sweeney!" She snapped at him, pulling herself to her feet as he did the same. "Do you _know _'ow embarrassing that could 'ave been if you'd made me come in front of them!?"

"Well, that _was _the intention. Shame they left so quickly." There was an infuriating smirk twitching the corners of his lips.

"I can't believe you!" She fumed. Right now she was mentally taking back everything she'd thought earlier about loving him so much. The damn bastard!

"You loved it."

"I didn't bloody love it - I certainly wouldn't 'ave loved it if…if…it ain't _funny_ - stop fucking laughing!" She actually looked close to tears so he wiped the smirk off his face and rolled his eyes, trying to pull her to him but finding her swatting him off angrily.

He had to admit, she could be painfully cute when she was cross.

"Alright, sorry!" He growled finally when she continued to spit at him. She huffed and finally let him take her in his arms.

"You bloody man," she grumbled into his shoulder. "Be the death o' me you will." Then after a pause. "Don't think you deserve yer late anniversary present now." She teased.

Curiosity perked in him. "What's that?"

She paused a moment, listening, before she pulled back to look at him, saying quickly, "be'ave yerself for the rest of the day and ya might find out," with a smirk. She kissed him briefly before, "Jimmy's crying, time for 'im to be fed." And she extracted herself from his arms, leaving him watching her retreat with narrowed eyes, something inside him telling him he was certainly going to _like _this anniversary present of hers…

* * *

_I'm rather fond of this one actually even if it did get pretty carried away with itself XD Looks like some of the old PA scandal wanted in! :P And j__ust to let you know that I'm busy busy this weekend so you probably won't see another chap until early next week._

_Love to everyone! I really do love you all you know XD until next time!_

_x - x - x_


	15. Chapter 15

_I am well aware it's been well over a week and I really, really apologise for the delay…my excuse is lame but basically I've been really stressed out lately and I sort of had something of a breakdown earlier in the week...heh, I'm okay now though…but yeah I just couldn't really focus on this which I hated cause I really wanna get cracking on it cause I'm excited about it :) But this one is very long (I tried to cut it but it didn't work) so will hopefully make up for the ridiculous wait? Hmm probably not…how about...will reply to all reviews for this one individually to make up for it XD_

_Sorry about that weird oneshot I posted the other day as well…kinda worry about myself sometimes :S But thank you so much to all who reviewed that because it really cheered me up when I needed it XD And yeah I was in the middle of this chap when I wrote it, hence any similarities - I guess it sort of inspired it._

_And hey guess what I just realised Christmas is less than six weeks away!! Woo am so excited hehe I love Christmas!_

_Well anyway onto the chapter - just a warning that this one's mostly sex, and sex of an S&M sort of fashion at that so please read with caution..._

* * *

Sweeney _did_ behave himself for the rest of the day - in fact he even helped her clear away and the dishes and wash up after dinner - so she supposed he really did deserve that anniversary present she'd had planned after all.

She'd smirked deviously at the meaningful look he'd shot her when she told him to go wait in their bedroom for her later that night, and when she creaked the door open a short while after she'd felt her stomach flutter in anticipation. Her husband was sat on the bed, propped up against the headboard, his feet crossed at the ankles and arms folded when she slipped in and closed the door behind her, standing against it with a smile on her lips.

He rose from the bed to stand beside it, forcing himself not to mimic her expression.

"So what's my present then?"

She cocked her head to the side, biting her lip a little as she grinned at him. "Me."

He raised an eyebrow, staking towards her as she watched him. He came to a stop in front of her, so close she drew in a sharp breath.

"Not that I'm complaining…but just for reference - I can have you whenever I want you so I really don't see how you can consider that an anniversary present." He teased.

She rolled her eyes laughing a little as she said, "Oh is that so?"

"Yes."

She wrinkled her nose at him before she closed the gap between them, slipping her arms up to rest on his strong shoulders. "I know that love," she told him softly, "but this will be better than usual…"

"Hmm and why's that then?" He asked, his own voice low as she kissed his neck.

She pulled her head back a little to look at him, her eyes alight and a wicked smirk playing at the corners of her mouth. "I slipped some sleeping solution into Toby's water and Jimmy's milk." She told him and his eyes widened. She bit her lip a little, still smirking. "Is that bad?"

After the shock wore off his face he managed to growl, "very," at her, resisting the urge to slam her straight against the wall and wipe that devilish smirk off her face with his mouth. He nipped at her neck, pulling her tight to him. "So we've got all…" a kiss to her jaw, "night," another below her ear, "with no interruptions," the corner of her mouth, "or the need to be quiet?" His kiss landed on her mouth then, caressing it softly with his own.

"Mmm hmm," she murmured when they parted. "All night."

"You know I think I like this present of yours," he told her, running a hand down her bodice between them.

"There's another part to it too."

He pulled back a little to look at her. "Oh? And what's that then?"

She smirked at him, leaning up to murmur in his ear in a low tone, "you'll have to find it." He narrowed his eyes and she giggled softly at his expression, pressing herself against him. "I'll help you…" she grabbed his hand that was resting lightly on her stomach and guided it down her body as she slipped the other from his shoulder and pulled her skirts up between them. She pushed his hand between her legs and let go, letting him tug her undergarments down and slide his hand back up her thigh to feel her dampness as she let out a little hoarse moan of anticipation.

She stepped out of her undergarments to part her legs as his fingers dove into her hot folds, dipping, gliding…his hand paused. She was grinning when he shot her a questioning look. He felt the hard smoothness he'd brushed again and it took him only a moment to realise what it was, upon which moment he grinned himself, slipping his finger and thumb into her a little to slide his razor out.

He held it up between them as she smirked at him. "Found it." he told her, glancing at it, taking in how it was coated in her arousal. He dipped his head and licked it clean and her knees nearly buckled as she watched.

He pulled back to rotate it in his hand, still held up between then, taking a moment to cast his eyes over the silver beauty before he snapped them back to hers and brought his lips to hers, placing a chaste kiss there. "My razor?"

"Well…" She gave him an almost shy smirk. "Ya wanna know a secret?"

He had a feeling he liked where this was going. "What?" He growled against her mouth.

She lifted her head up just a bit to whisper in a sultry tone into his ear, "they sorta turn me on…"

Sweeney's breath caught in his throat. "Is that so?" He muttered back.

"Mmm hmm."

"Well then," placing a hand on her chest suddenly he shoved her into the wall. A flash of silver and a click and that beautiful blade was pressed up against her throat. A delicious shiver ran through her body, intensified by the dark, lust filled and somewhat dangerous look in his eye. "Do _you_ wanna know a secret?"

Her face was the picture of desire. "Yes…"

Like she'd done he brought his mouth to her ear, to whisper into it, "that's no secret my dear."

A smirk crossed her face and she ran a hand up his back and over his strong shoulder to clutch in his hair, muttering, "Ya know me too well love,"

A pause, harsh breathing, fevered kisses down her neck, that blade keeping her from pressing into his touch until he trailed it downwards, the coldness of the silver like ice against her burning hot skin, set alight by his touch, down over her collar bone to come to rest against her heaving chest.

Then, "why," he suddenly breathed against her neck. The question caught her off guard.

"Huh?"

"Why…does this -" he punctuated his point by letting the razor dig into her breast, just enough to hurt without breaking the skin. "-turn you on?"

She let out a gasp as he bit down on the flesh of her collar bone.

"Cause…cause it's you…they're a part of you. You _are _the blade love," she breathed. "I want you."

His mouth met hers to answer her plea and as his tongue lunged into it, and they both poured every bit of passion they felt into the frenzied kiss, and she knew he was hers as much as she was his.

He broke apart to growl, "get on the bed," to her.

Thrilled, she darted from his arms as he released her and practically threw herself onto their bed, laying panting up at him, her heart beating its way out of her chest in anticipation.

He stood, staring at her, drinking in her form with dark eyes and a lust filed expression until she growled a him, "get over 'ere now before I start without ya!"

Sweeney raised an eyebrow at her, and, reminding her which of them was the one giving the commands here, he folded his arm across his chest, staying where he was.

Mrs. Lovett pouted at him - before a sudden grin cross her lips and her hands went to the ties on the front of her dress. She pulled it open, not taking her eyes off his, which were starting to roam as she slipped it from her shoulders and pushed it down to her waste. A raise of her hips and it was off and on the floor, and she lean forwards to untie and pull her boots off, before sliding her stockings from her smooth white legs. Her corset was next, she sat up to undo it at the back before pulling it from her and tossing that to the floor as well.

She leant back against the pillows, smirking at him- the damn bitch could see how_ hard _it was for him to stay stood on the other side of the room. He folded his arms tighter.

When he still didn't move she hooked her thumbs under the top of the last item of clothing she wore, and slowly, too teasingly for her own good, she dragged her undergarments over her hips and down her legs, letting them too, hit the floor.

All that got her was another raise of his eyebrow and she let out a little growl of frustration. Fine. He'd asked for it.

She brought a hand to her lips, letting her fingers brush it before trailing them down her neck then her chest, brushing a nipple with her palm, knowing how every inch of him was itching to be doing it himself as he watched her with eyes glazed over with lust - looking like he could almost be shaking with the effort to stay where he was. Her hand continued, down over her flat stomach, brushing over her hip, gliding towards her dark curls as she let her legs slip apart just slightly -

He pounced on her before if could go any further, causing her to give a squeal of delight as his mouth fell to her neck and he ground his hips hard into hers.

She rubbed herself against him, making both of them moan, drawing her legs apart and one up to hook over his hip, pulling him closer to her, her hands sliding up to tangle in his hair and drag his mouth to hers -

Then she felt a dull stinging at her throat - and through their frenzied kiss and her lust clouded mind it took her a moment to realise it was his razor pressed once again to her neck. She smirked as they broke apart, panting heavily, engulfing him with her big dark eyes as she drank in the lust visible in his own eyes.

"Mr. T," she breathed, running her hands from his hair down his chest to clutch at his stock. "I think you're wearing far too many clothes love," she purred, tugging at the cloth, untying it and making to pull it loose -

He grabbed her hands with his free one, stilling them. "I don't believe I gave you permission to undress me did I my pet?"

She batted her eyelashes at him. "Do you want me to beg?"

He had to fight not to smirk at that. "Tempting as that sounds…no, I don't. I want you to do as you're told." He growled at her.

A little thrill ran through her. "But love, it 'ardly seems fair, me naked and you fully dressed…"

"I believe that was your choice now, was it not?"

She narrowed her eyes playfully at him before he dipped to kiss her once more, pushing his tongue into her mouth and drawing a low moan from her. She tugged at his shirt, struggling to un-tuck it and get her hands underneath which wasn't easy with him pressed so tightly to her.

A little sound of frustration escaped her and she pulled her mouth from his. "Take yer damn clothes off Sweeney!"

Although a flash of annoyance briefly flickered across his face, he clearly wanted their bodies to be as close as they could too because knelt up, between her open legs and, his eyes locked firmly with hers, a small smirk playing on his lips, he tugged his stock loose and off and started on his shirt buttons.

Mrs. Lovett let her eyes roam his torso as more of it was revealed to her, her own eyes so dark with lust they looked liquid in the candlelight. His shirt hit the ground as her clothes had done and he yanked his belt loose and off.

When his body was a bare as hers he let himself fall onto her, raining kisses down on her neck and collar bone. He pulled back a little, leaning up on one elbow as he gazed down at her milky white body as she panted beneath him, already coated in a fine layer of sweat and he trailed the razor lightly, so lightly down her neck and over her heaving chest, tracing the roundness of her breasts just softly with the lethal blade, letting it glide over a nipple, hardening it more than it already was. He moved it down over her flat stomach, gliding it over her smooth skin, his eyes wide and dark and intense as they followed it's path.

She pressed a hand over his on his razor, locking eyes with him. She knew what he wanted - his hand trembled a little hovering his blade over her body like this.

She drew in a breath. "Cut me."

Sweeney's eyes widened - before they darkened so much with lust that they were black, his head nearly dizzy with what she was offering him.

He stared at her for a long moment, both of them breathing hard - before he pushed the blade into her skin, causing just a little blood to pool from the tip as she gripped his back hard, a little whimper escaping her as she closed her eyes.

It was mesmerising, her reaction. It was so similar to that of -

He let the blade dig into her once more, this time gliding it along her skin, just a little, his eyes locked to her body, enthralled as he drew a thin line of blood on her stomach and she gasped, tightening her stomach muscles and shuddering a little against him, but still holding tight to his back with one hand, the other clenching his on the razor.

She snapped her eyes open, locking them onto his before lifting her head up to kiss him feverishly on the mouth. He kissed her back, pressing himself against her, feeling the sticky wetness of the blood against him - not to mention where she rubbed herself against his abdomen -

"Sweeney," she whimpered when he pulled away from her to run his hands down her sides to her thighs, parting her legs and shifting himself to lie between them. She trembled against him she was so painfully aroused. "Need you - love - please…"

Feverishly aroused himself, Sweeney ran a hand down her already sweat coated body to the throbbing heat between her legs. She rocked her hips towards him in need, gasping aloud when he pressed his fingers to her soaking sex. She slid one of her own hands down to place over his, pushing it into her. He obliged, sliding two, then three fingers easily into her, making her throw her head back against the pillow, letting out a soft cry, writhing against him.

"Mmph," she groaned out, pleading with her body, making him give his own hoarse moan of lust.

Then, that beautifully lethal blade still pressed to her side, he forced a fourth finger inside her, momentarily stilling her wriggling beneath him, her mouth opening in a silent gasp as she winced a little in pain, and he held still for a moment, his eyes glazed over for the perfect expression on her face, frozen there, more beautiful than he had ever seen it - until he pushed his fingers further into her, pushing that blade into her skin at the same time.

"Oww…" she gasped out, frozen no more, twisting beneath him.

His hand stopped, buried inside her right to the knuckles - but only for a moment before he began to caress her silk walls with his fingertips, causing a wave of pleasure to cross her face, even as still her body was tense with the pain. "What was that, my dear?" He murmured to her, his voice deadly soft.

She let out a brief gasp of pleasure, squeezing her eyes shut briefly, clinging tight to his back, her nails digging into him. "That hurts Sweeney," she breathed out.

"Oh really?" His fingers still stroking her inside, he let his thumb find her pleading clit and pressed into it - she threw her head back against the pillow. "Maybe I should stop then?"

"No!" She gasped out, struggling to push herself into his hand, silently begging for more of his touch.

He rubbed his thumb against her, making her quiver in pleasure - before jerking his fingers into her a little deeper and she gave a delightful little cry that was laced with just the perfect amount of pleasure and pain.

He suddenly pulled his fingers out before pushing them roughly back into her, making her scream out loud as with his thumb he pressed and rubbed hard against her clit. She felt like she came harder than she ever had in her life, her head tossing on the pillow as her whole body twisted and shook and her senses were numbed with waves of pleasure washing over and over. As she cried out the last of her climax, trembling furiously, she slumped down finally, her whole body limp and drenched in a layer of sweat as she lay still, gasping for air. Her inner walls still contracted round his fingers, so tight around him - until Sweeney pulled them out slowly, making her hiss again, and leant over her quivering body.

He kissed up her neck, covering her mouth with his finally and drawing another long moan from her as he kissed her sensually and slowly, massaging her tongue with his, their mouths open and locked to each other, his wet hand sliding up her body to twine in her hair.

Now ridiculously hard, he shifted, moving his body completely over hers, settling between her legs -

"Wait - 'ang on, bloody 'ell -" she gasped out, pulling her mouth from his. "Just need - need a moment love," she panted, her eyes half closed and breathing laboured.

Sweeney shot her a sudden grin and she frowned up at him - until she let out a yelp of surprise as he shoved himself suddenly into her. He wasted no time in starting up a fast hard rhythm and, already still so aroused from her recent orgasm she was immediately starting to tremble again -

"Sweeney! I said 'ang on - God - it's too - too much -" Her body was so exhausted but she couldn't help but respond to him inside her and her hips rose of their own accord to meet his every thrust even as she panted and gasped for breath underneath him.

And then she felt it, among the waves of pleasure, white hot pain shooting through her side. She yelped, twisting away from it, somewhere in the back of her mind wondering if it had been deliberate or subconscious on his part but trembling and gasping out in pleasure all the same (and perhaps all the harder?) for it.

He came quickly when she contracted around him, screaming out her pleasure and quivering hard as his hot mouth fell onto another fresh nick on her collar bone.

Sweeney lay still inside her, both of them panting and sweating as they fell into a frenzied kiss -

He sank his teeth into her lower lip as he'd done before down in the bake house with the beadle, all that time ago that was only really a couple of weeks. She yelped into his mouth as she had then, but he didn't let her pull back, gripping her hair hard, keeping her mouth locked to his as he sucked at the copper liquid which gushed from her lip and filled their mouths.

When they parted from their bloody kiss with the need for air, she was shaking with arousal again and he was hard inside her once more. Both pairs of dark eyes, darker than ever, locked with each other, before lips and tongues followed suit.

Painfully pulling out of her, Sweeney's hot mouth fell from hers to glide down her body, his tongue gliding over every cut and tasting the hot red liquid he'd drawn from her skin so far. She moaned, running her hands through his coarse black hair, before he growled against her, and lifting his mouth from the cut at her side to warn in a low voice, "I'm the one who's touching here Nellie."

She quickly dropped her hands from his hair, moving them to instead, grip hold of the bed sheets she lay upon

"Sweeney…" She whimpered when he ran his tongue along her side again, lapping the blood up and hurting, yes, but making her heart pound and lust build for it as she wriggled beneath him in arousal. "Sweeney, take me…anything, do anything…love you, so much…" she rambled feverishly.

"Nellie," he replied, as down he went, down to place a kiss above her knee, one hand so light in the crook of it, drawing it up, apart from the other - then that hand still so gentle resting lightly there as the other pressed cold metal to her thigh and drew that up, drawing a beautiful cry from her as she flung her head back, clenching her eyes shut and griping the sheets tighter.

She was his addiction. Her sight, her smell, her taste…her blood…

He let his mouth glide over the copper liquid that oozed from her skin, his tongue following the little trail of red, right up her thigh -

She had to suppress a scream as desire so strong she almost felt she would come from just this washed over her -

Sweeney raked his nails over the cut on her thigh at the same time as his tongue continued up past the point the incision ended - and she did come, hard and shaking, with just one lick from his tongue as hot pain shot through her thigh simultaneously - she was over the edge, having already been so close.

He was painfully hard against her, and like an extension of his arm, that silver beauty was moving again, gliding over her body, marking her as his as she gasped and whimpered and wriggled beneath him…

Then his mouth was on her thigh again, lapping up that sweet salty blood and trailing up - to lap up the rubies he drew from her hip when he dragged his razor over that too. She groaned, twisting under his body, trying to escape the sharp pain it brought but at the same time not wanting to be anywhere else than pinned beneath him this moment, his…at his mercy…

He took her again then, thrusting deep into her then surprising her by rolling them so she could ride him, which she did, throwing her head back and sitting up, her hands on his chest as his gripped her hips, one still holding that razor, pressing it into her hip as she moved atop him.

She gasped suddenly, climaxing before him and him dealing her a cut for it - possibly accidental - as he twisted and slammed her back down on her back to thrust into her, finishing himself as she quivered, screaming out her pleasure and holding him tight to her. After giving his final grunt and biting down hard on her neck as he came inside her, he rolled off her to throw the sheets over their bodies and collapse on his back next to her so they could both breathe.

As she lay panting hard beside him, like coming down from a high she began to regain her senses and feel the stinging of the cuts he had inflicted on her all over her body. She slipped her hand down to feel the one on her hip. Wet - wetter than the thin layer of sweat that coated her. She bit her lip. It was then she realised she was exhausted, shaking and sweating profusely from their almost violent couplings, which she now realised had also caused a hard throbbing between her legs. She stung everywhere, blood was smeared all over her and Sweeney's naked bodies, and some of her cuts were still bleeding.

They'd played dangerous before - something about that side of him had always set the fire within her alight…but that had got a little _too_ dangerous. In fact, now that she thought about it, if she _had _wanted him to stop she very much doubted he would have been able too. A little panic and uneasiness bubbled inside her. Once he was gone he was gone…but she…how was she supposed to stop him from letting go in the first place if she lost her own head like that as well?

"Sweeney?" She said softly, her voice croaky.

He took another breath. "What?"

She drew in a deep one of her own. "That went too far." She whispered.

He paused for long seconds - she almost thought he wasn't going to answer her - and then; "I know." he swallowed hard, then turned his head to look at her, slight panic in his dark eyes. "Did I hurt you?"

She almost wanted to snort and had to stop herself rolling her eyes. Instead she shook her head and muttered quietly, "S'my fault as much as yours."

He bit his lip, leaning up on an elbow to look down into her face, concern written all over his. "Is it bad?"

She shook her head, waving him off, "Nah, s'only a bit of blood, I'll live I'm sure."

He opened his mouth but she placed a finger on it, hushing him before he could speak. "Don't apologise, I bloody started it. Just…went a bit too far huh? We just need to be more careful…"

He nodded, a bad feeling of uneasiness running through him.

She bit her lip. "No more razors?"

Sweeney nodded again, settling back down beside her to pull her too him, feeling awful when she winced a little as the cuts on her rubbed against him.

He kissed the top of her head firmly. "No more razors," he murmured fiercely into her ear.

She squeezed him tightly, snuggling into him with a little sigh.

He'd been settled to drift off - but of course she had other ideas and had to open her mouth again. "Sorry love." She murmured.

Resisting the urge to tut he muttered back, "for what?"

She cleared her throat. "Well I did start it."

He was silent for a moment before sighing heavily and mumbling, "probably not one of your best ideas."

She frowned then. "It were supposed to be your anniversary present, I knew you'd like it so -"

"Well you should have known that I -" He stopped himself in the middle of snapping at her suddenly, while he still could. But she'd already heard his sharp tone.

"That you what!?" She fumed.

He ground his teeth, muttering, "it was a stupid idea."

Her jaw dropped. "Well if you fucking let me go out on me own I would 'ave been able to get you a proper present wouldn't I!?" She spat, making him jump a little at her sudden anger.

He snapped his head round on the pillow to shoot her a shocked look full of fury. "I thought," he ground out, "we'd been over this?"

"No, we haven't been over it - you decided and threw a fit - literally - when I protested. I ain't 'appy about it - you know that."

He looked away from her, grinding his teeth. Finally he muttered angrily, "well if you wanna bloody get raped again go ahead."

She frowned crossly, resisting the urge to hit him, "Sweeney that's not fair! You know it was cause it was at night - you know I'm sorry for it - don't you blood dare go bringing it up again! Stopping me form going out all together is bloody ridiculous and you know it!"

"We've _had_ this argument - you _agreed_ it was your fault - because you didn't do as I say and you also agreed you _would _do as I say from now on!" He said through clenched teeth.

She had suddenly tears of angry hurt in her eyes. "Can't we just let that go - it's over - it's caused enough pain - can't it just be gone!?"

He set his jaw, shifting away from her just slightly. "It will never be gone."

She lay in upset silence for a moment before she tightened her own jaw. "No, it won't. Just like me nearly _dieing_ giving birth to Jimmy on me own cause you were out slaughtering that fucking judge will never be gone."

Sweeney sucked in a sharp breath, laying still, breathing hard for a moment, both of them lying in tension filled silence for several minutes.

He was the one to break it, finally turning to look at her, seeing how the expression on her face reflected his own feelings, then rolling on top of her suddenly, kissing her firmly and moving quickly between her legs.

"Wha -" she pulled away from him, staring at him. "What ya doing!?"

"Fucking you," he grunted in her ear.

She tried to shove him off crossly. "Sweeney we're in the middle of an argument!" She fumed.

"Wouldn't be the first time." He grabbed hold of a thigh, shifting his body over hers.

He had a point.

"It don't solve nothing…" she told him, suddenly quiet.

He froze a moment, looking down at her. Then he muttered, "any better ideas?" Before his mouth descended on hers once more and after a moment of being frozen she gave in and let him kiss her and slide into her, drowning the feelings of uneasiness with him, and the twinges of pain she felt all over her body with the pleasure he was giving her…

* * *

_THIS HAS A POINT. I promise. I know it's weird, I'm sorry, there is a point._

_I was actually going to cut a load of the smut from the middle cause I really don't like it and I think it's probably pushing it a little :S…but then it doesn't make sense at the end…so yeah haha._

_Promise I won't leave you that long again my loves, please tell me you're all still here, and that you don't hate me for this one :S_

_Love you all and THANKS and hugs and kisses as always for the reviews! They keep me going like you wouldn't believe :) X x x_


	16. Chapter 16

_Hello my dears, long time huh?_

_Well I don't really know why I'm failing so bad lately, I just am lol. It's not block or anything, I can write, I know exactly what to write, I'm just…not. Hmm, I dunno I guess I have a lot going on and stuff so yeah my mind doesn't want to pay attention arrgg -stabs mind- um hmm anyway really hope this makes up for the wait, I'm thanking you all so much for your patience even though you had no choice and hoping you don't kill me XD_

_Oh listen - warning bells again. Hear them? Yes they are ringing with reason, please read the last part of this chapter with caution my lovelies!_

* * *

The feeling of terror came before the image. It was black, there was nothing - she had no senses but for the dreadful fear and panic that gripped her being. She didn't breathe, she didn't think, she was just…terrified.

And then came the image, and she knew that was what had caused the fear. She couldn't escape it - couldn't breathe, couldn't move, couldn't run - couldn't even close her eyes against the horrifying image she could see -

She screamed and screamed -

"_Nellie!_"

Her eyes flew open to be greeted with the sight of the bare chest she was struggling against, strong arms wrapped tight around her - she whipped her heap up - to see Sweeney's dark eyes boring into her own -

She screamed again, blind panic and fear griping hold of her as she wrenched herself out of his grasp, tumbling off the bed and scrambling to her feet still tangled in bed sheets, flinging herself against the opposite wall which she pressed herself again, trembling and staring with wide eyes at her husband's shocked face.

It must have only been seconds but it felt like a frozen moment that dragged on forever as it set in that she'd been dreaming, and her husband sat on the bed across from her, staring at her with nothing but worry and shock in his expression - and she slumped to the floor as the fear faded although still she gasped for breath, her head falling into her arms as she started to cry.

She was only half aware of being picked up and placed back on the bed, pulled against Sweeney's body, his arms wrapping round her small form.

He let her cry for a while until her sobs had died down as he contemplated the reason for her distress. It was a bad dream, that was clear enough - but when she'd awoken…it was _him_ she'd reeled back from…

Hardly daring to ask for fear of the answer he finally said hoarsely, "what the bloody hell did you dream about!?"

She chocked out another small sob, clinging tighter to him. She considered not telling him, she knew it would hurt him - but she also knew there was no way she could hide it from him. Finally she spoke thickly into his shoulder.

"You…"

Sweeney swallowed hard.

"You…you're face - I saw your face but it was…it - wasn't you - your eyes were so dark, just black - so mad - I was so scared…all I could see was your face…"

She could almost feel his hurt coursing through her own body as the silence stretched out between him - she was sure if he was a woman he would have cried.

He was quiet for a long time, clearly not knowing what to say - what _could _he say to that!?

Finally he opted for, "I'm not gonna hurt you Nellie. Never. I promise," he muttered it fiercely into her hair and she let out something that was almost a chortle.

"You will, Sweeney. Let's not pretend no more. You hurt me, I hurt you - our love's too strong for us not to get hurt by the other."

He was silent, before he said. "But I mean I won't _- physically - _hurt you -" he cleared his throat when he realised how stupid that sounded after last night and quickly added - "well - apart from…when you want me to…" he drifted off awkwardly before he said firmly, "What I mean is you've no reason to be scared of me - I won't, I swear -"

She almost laughed in his face - how many times had he said that to her now too!? And how many times had he broken his promise? Instead, she humoured him; "alright. Alright love, I'm alright." She squeezed him a little, pushing herself against him, shivering slightly, and not because she was cold.

After a pause she began, "last night -"

He cut her off quickly. "You wanted it as much as me - you _told _me -"

"I know! I'm not accusing ya love, I weren't gonna say anything like that."

"Oh. Then what?"

"Um…" she looked away from his eyes, mumbling, "Just wanted to say I'm sorry for bringing up what I did…that's in the past now…" she trailed off, waiting for his own apology.

Instead he stared at her a moment before swallowing hard. "Like you said…I hurt you…you hurt me."

Her mouth opened and she frowned crossly. She lay in silence, her head against his chest, frowning deeply as he held her for a while, until she pulled away, getting up and mumbling, "better get going," dressing hurriedly and leaving the room.

The next week or so went by mundanely. Things were tense most of the time, like there was too much unsaid and taboo between them that made the atmosphere somewhat awkward most of the time when they were in the same room…in fact the only time the awkwardness wasn't present between them was when they were giving in to the temptations of the others body and all but lust and love was forgotten. It just so happened that these moments were luckily far from rare - or perhaps not so luckily?

The longest conversation they'd managed to have was early on the following Thursday morning when she'd been making pies ready for opening at lunchtime. He'd entered the room, paused and scowled, striding across it to scoop Jimmy into his arms from where she had sat him on the counter, next to the mixing bowl as she stirred flour and eggs together.

"He'll fall." Sweeney scolded her gruffly as Jimmy wriggled in his arm to get back to his previous location.

She waved him off with a roll of her eyes. "'E won't fall I'm watching 'im." She glanced at them as Jimmy whimpered a little, still struggling to be put back down. "Put 'im back love, 'e was watching me make me pies, weren't ya Jimmy?" She cooed the last part to her son who reached out towards his mother from his fathers arms.

"He was right on the edge - if he lost his balance and toppled backwards or started trying to crawl around he'd fall off - you know how fast he is."

She frowned then, pausing in her mixing to turn to Sweeney, placing flour covered hands on her hips. "Says the man who thought it was a good idea to give 'im a razor!"

Sweeney narrowed his eyes at her. "I told you -" he said with forced patience, "I never thought he would be able to open the damn thing -"

She tutted and rolled her eyes again, turning back to her pie mixture sighing, "whatever Sweeney," with exasperation. "Now can ya leave 'im where 'e was? 'Aving a right good old time 'e was, playing with all that flour in front of 'im - and I'll let ya 'ave some dough in a minute when I've made it love," she smiled at her gurgling son. She glanced up at her husband when he didn't move to put him back and gave him a little smirk, "Besides - I gotta teach 'im 'ow to make pies sometime…"

Sweeney moved Jimmy away from her a little at that, holding him closer to himself and scowling deeply. "He's not going to be making pies!" He told her. "He's a boy. He'll be a barber when he's older."

She merely shot him a raised eyebrow. "Well, yes I suppose 'e will - but e's certainly gonna be 'elping me make me pies before 'e's old enough to shave for a living love." She said tolerably.

"Men do not make pies!" Sweeney told her with a deep frown, still clutching Jimmy tightly.

"Mr. T!" She was suddenly cross. "There ain't nothing wrong with pie making - plenty o' blokes are bakers I'll 'ave you know - and in case you've forgotton - _you've_ made a pie or two yourself if I rightly remember!"

He spluttered. "Only because you cajoled me into it!"

"Ah but you still enjoyed it." She was suddenly teasing.

Sweeney narrowed his eyes. "I enjoyed something but it wasn't the pie making."

She rolled her eyes, "no, no, no - I saw your face before - you was 'aving fun mixing it all together, no matter 'ow grumpy was trying to pretend you was!" She proclaimed smugly.

Sweeney frowned. "I prefer to do the pie-maker than the actual pies thank you my dear." He told her primly with a brush of his hand down her corseted side, making her actually flush a little, shooting a pointed glance at their son still held in his other arm and hiss crossly, "not in front o' Jimmy Sweeney!"

He stared at her incredulously at that. "We have _sex_ in front of Jimmy!"

Her eyes widened and she smacked him on the arm as Jimmy blinked up at them both, his head tilted to one side. "Not when 'e's awake! Don't _say that! _Bloody 'ell…"

Sweeney raised an eyebrow. "So I can't say sex but you can curse in front of him?"

Her eyes widened and she clapped a hand to her mouth, gasping. She shook her head. "Damn it Sweeney…" She looked down at their son. "I worry 'bout 'ow 'e's gonna grow up ya know…what with all 'e's growing up in and around…" she trailed off, suddenly uncomfortable.

Sweeney looked down at Jimmy, biting his lip a little for a moment before he mumbled, "must be time for his nap…I'll go settle him…let you get on."

She cleared her throat, turning back to the mixing bowl with a quiet, "yeah…"

She didn't expect him to come back after that but he did, ten or so minutes later, surprising her wholly by strolling into the kitchen and up to her, stopping in front of her, folding his arms and proclaiming, "we need to talk."

Well she could have fallen over. It was unusual enough that her husband would be the one trying to fix things - but actually suggesting that they talk - now this was simply un-heard of.

Her brow furrowed when the shock wore off. "'Bout what 'bout love?" Was all she could manage. 'Where do we start?' might have been more accurate…

Sweeney cleared his throat. "Jimmy."

She stared at that. "Jimmy? What 'bout Jimmy?"

He looked like he wanted to say something else but he ended up muttering, "he's getting too old to be sleeping with us - he's stopped waking in the night for feeding now…he's growing up - he'll be talking before we know it…he can't stay in our room forever…"

She bit her lip. "I know. 'E's growing up fast ain't 'e? I mean…what if 'e woke up some time and we were…"

She trailed off and Sweeney nodded tensely. "We need to do something about it."

"Well…there's always the spare room? I know it's tiny but well we ain't got much choice 'ave we? Full of rubbish though, can't 'ardly get in the door - all Albert's stuff mainly…sort of chucked it all in there after 'e went and meant to get round to clearing it but never did…"

Sweeney paused for a moment, again looking like he would say something else before he nodded. "It will do for now. I'll get to clearing it."

She cocked her head to one side as he started to turn from her. "For now?"

He looked back at her. "yes…"

She cut her eyes, puzzlement crossing her face. "What you mean for now - not like there's anywhere else we can put 'im…?"

He looked at her a bit strangely for a moment, opening his mouth before tensely shaking his head, and muttering, "no," in agreement, turning and leaving the room and her to stare after him in bemusement.

She thought over this conversation some days later, as she worked down in the bake house, the heat from the oven causing her to wipe a hand over her forehead, sighing heavily and wrinkling her nose at the permanent bad smell that invaded one's nostrils down there. Her brow furrowed a little as she separated flesh from bone, replaying her husbands words from the other day, realising then how funny he had sounded as he spoke them.

"What does 'e mean 'for now'?" She muttered to herself, tossing a leg bone into the corner and flesh into the pile next to her work table and taking up her cleaver to hack into the next leg. "Daft bugger…ain't like there's nowhere else for 'im…can't exactly build Jimmy a bloody room on the side o' the 'ouse can we?" She shook her head, rolling her eyes a little, still frowning as she dragged her tool through flesh with a familiar ripping sound.

She gasped in fright suddenly and spun to face the door as it was thrown open.

Her husband was stood in the doorway, looking dark as a moonless night and covered in blood.

She put a hand to her heaving chest. "Mr. T you give me a bloody fright! Barging in like that! And goodness me look at ya - ya look like ya took a bath in that blood!"

He didn't say anything, only began walking towards her. Her grip on the cleaver tightened as she recognised the look in his dark eyes. Her eyes flicked down to his hand and she saw he still held his razor, dripping with blood. She looked back up to see his eyes still locked to hers and felt a little fear grip her.

They were dark, his eyes - so dark as he approached her. She saw lust in them for sure but…well she had seen him kill, seen that glint he got in his eye, that euphoric bliss that crossed his face - it was frighteningly similar to _another _look he got…and there had always been a little worry in the back of her mind that he may one day get blood lust mixed up with actual lust - and not in a good way - and right now she was _very _worried that this may have finally happened.

"Sw - Sweeney?" She stammered, backing up a little. Her back hit the table as he reached her and grabbed a hold of her, pressing his hungry mouth to hers.

She pulled back from him slightly. "You alright love?" She asked hesitantly.

His eyes were shining as he focused his attention on her heaving chest, trailing the blood-covered razor lightly down it, making it move even faster. "Oh he struggled, that one did." He said, his voice low. "He thrashed and gasped…so I made it slow, felt his struggles get limper as I dragged this blade across his neck."

Mrs. Lovett gulped. "Tha - that's nice dear…" She stammered, not really knowing what to say, trying to sound casual.

"God, that felt good." He continued, obviously paying no heed to what she said. He snapped his eyes back to hers. "But you're better."

"What!?" She gasped, and then felt his hands pulling her skirts up and let out a shaky breath…for a moment there she'd thought he meant…well, it didn't even bear thinking about.

"Turn around," he growled in her ear.

"Um, maybe you should go calm down for a bit love, you got yourself awful worked up…" She didn't trust him when he was in this mood, blinded by blood. And she didn't trust that razor that was still in his hand.

"I said turn around!" He almost barked at her, grabbing her by the arm and yanking her round, pushing her forwards so she was bent over the table.

Half of her want

ed to give in, to let her lust slide through her and grip hold of the table and take all he could give her - but the other half was ringing blazing warning bells - especially after what had happened the other night- and for once in her life the sensible half of her mind won. She pushed herself back up, turning quickly back round. "I don't think this is a good idea love." She told him, firmly as she could with a slightly shaky voice.

He scowled angrily at her. "'Course it's a good idea - what's the matter with you don't you want me?"

"You know I do but you're -"

"Then let me have you -" He tried to turn her round again but she stood her ground.

"No - you're all covered in blood!"

"I don't care," he growled against her mouth as she tried to wriggle out of his grasp.

"I do!"

His hands were gripping too tight, his kisses too urgent, his eyes too dark. "I want you."

"I…" She breathed out heavily. "I really don't think -"

"Now!" Something in his voice sent a shiver of fear through her - she was suddenly all too aware that one hand was still gripping his razor - she could feel his clenched fist against her back.

"No, I don't -"

He tried once more the whirl her round in his arms but protesting frantically, she struggled against him, still pinned between him and the table.

"Damn it woman- I need you now -" A hand was wrestling its way beneath her skirts, the other still trying to turn her round -

"No! Stop it Sweeney - I said no - you're all covered in blood an' worked up - I don't like it, please -" She panicked, her voice high pitched and her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to get him off her and he only pulled her tighter against him. In their struggles her leg caught on the table leg sending her - and him - reeling to the floor with a painful thud.

Sweeney didn't stop. Now on top of her, he quickly shifted himself between her legs, yanking her skirts up between them as his mouth descended on hers again in a fierce bruising kiss - and damn it this was suddenly something far too similar to another recent event…

"Don't - get off!" She protested, trying to wriggle away hopelessly as he tugged at her undergarments.

"Want you - so much -" He muttered against her neck, kissing and nipping the skin heavily there - she felt panic start to rise intensely, she was breathing fast underneath him, trying to shove him off her _- this is stupid, he's your husband, you _love _him _- she realised with a jolt that a hand held his razor to the other side of her neck.

"Sweeney, stop it - you're scaring me!" It was like he was completely blind to the tears in her eyes, deaf to her words and the frantic panic in her voice.

"I just want you love - mmm - so beautiful…" That deadly blade dug into her neck, she knew his knuckles were white with their grip on it -

"Damnit, Sweeney - we said no razors!" She shrieked at him, at the point of hysterics -

He didn't even hear her. He was kissing her neck again, far too intensely - he'd torn her undergarments in his frenzy to get them off and they lay tossed on the floor as he unbuckled his belt and yanked his trousers open -

She looked desperately up into his face - and her heart stopped. It was the face from her dream. Trying to force herself to calm down, she made one last panicked attempt at stopping him and snapping him out of it - "Don't, please! I don't want to, you're scaring me!"

Then he was in her and moving, fast and hard - but for the first time she was far too terrified of that glint in his eye and that blade at her neck for it to feel good -

"Stop, please! Please stop, please!" She pleaded with him through her sobs - his eyes - God, his eyes - they were so dark, so dangerous - she couldn't see one bit of her husband in them…

He'd lost it, completely, his head was gone and she was terrified. The razor was digging into her neck already, the hand holding it was trembling - one wave of sudden blood lust among the carnal lust to wash over him would be all it took and that hand would move, fast as a snake - one deadly slit and it would all be over. She didn't think he could even hear her sobbed protests.

Then something she didn't expect; "I love you, I love you Nellie - I love you - so much - too much -" He was rambling as he pounded into her, his hand gripping hard in her hair, the other still holding the razor against her neck - "Do you love me? Tell me you love me - tell me!" He demanded roughly, pressing the blade subconsciously further into her skin - she gasped.

"Yes I love you - you know I love you," she sobbed desperately. "I do but please - please stop this now you're 'urting m-"

He cut her off with another brutal kiss, shoving his tongue into her mouth, his hand in her hair keeping her head still as he kissed her - he thrust into her hard as the blade dug into her neck further and she was sure blood must be pooling from her skin -

She screamed against his mouth.

"Sweeney?" She whispered hoarsely after it was over. He lay slumped on top of her, his weight crushing her, his heavy breathing hot against her neck. He was oblivious to her trembling beneath him. "Please…" Another croaky whisper, her throat raw from screaming and crying the tears that still fell silently.

He moved off her suddenly, his movements robotic, righting his clothes and sitting up beside her. His eyes stared ahead, glassy and vacant as she lay there, hair and clothes a mess, crying freely and her whole body shaking.

Her chest no long crushed, she took in a deep gulps of air, sitting up, and tugging at her dress, wiping at her eyes with trembling hands even as her tears still fell.

She turned her head to look at him - he was still staring ahead numbly.

"Sweeney?" She whispered softly, her voice breaking on the word. He didn't respond, only stared, his lips parted a little, eyes wide.

She'd seen him like this before, once before.

And part of her wanted to do the same as she had done then, to put her arms around him, heave him to his feet, muttering casual words of chiding, wondering what on earth she was to do with him, taking care of him because she knew she was the only one who would.

But the aching of her body, the twinge between her legs, the pounding in her head from her screams and cries and the hurt in her heart stopped her.

She scrambled to her feet, stumbling over to the door.

And with one last tear filled glance at her motionless husband, she left the bake house.

* * *

_Let me briefly explain…if you're baffled by Sweeney's behaviour go watch 'Epiphany' again, for that was largely my inspiration for this. The way he can go into that frenzied madness and basically be gone…and how still and out of it he is when it fades - this is exactly how I saw him here. You know, it's actually a ridiculous amount of fun having a main character to write who is rather less than sane!_

_Hey guess what? It's less than four weeks until Christmas! XD I'm listening to Christmas songs as I type this hehe I'm so excited, I just love everything about Christmas, all the decorations, just the whole Christmassy feeling XD Does anybody else love Christmas this much or is it just me who still gets excited from about the first of November every year? I think I'm supposed to be getting too old for this but hey :P Our decorations are going up this weekend I can't wait, I already have the tree in my room up (it's black with pink fairy lights and tinsel and bobbles woo XD)_

_Speaking of which I am absolutely determined to finish this story before Christmas so I /will/ be getting my arse in gear and writing faster. I'm not sure how many chapters there'll be left, I was aiming for twenty but it will probably be a little more than that now. But yes, it will be done before Christmas (and I have my reasons for that too hehehe…;)) so hang in there loves! Please tell me you are still with me and what you thought of this one cause my writing this totally feeds off the feedback I get, seriously XD And I will not fail so bad in future! Love to you all x x x_

_Replies to un-signed in reviews:_

_Catseyes8588 - Haha, thanks hun XD yeah weird indeed hehe :P Love ya sweetie! (huggles)_

_ambrosia_bb_ - Aw I'm so glad you're still reading love! And I'm really glad you like how this is going XD it has come a pretty long way hasn't it O.o and good thing you like the long ones too cause I seem to be writing more and more of those ;) hehe thanks hun! Love ya! (hugs)_

_Sarah Brihene - Hmm so I'm guessing you liked the chap then? XD Heheee thanks so much hun! Love ya! (huggles)_

_Thyme - Haha well thank you for the pep talk XD lol it means a lot that you understand J Hmm idk what it is with Lovett and those razors…lmao! And LOL good guess but as you can see, no she didn't accidently poison/kill Jimmy and Toby XD Haha thanks so much for the review sweetie, love ya! (hugs)_

_ShadowDaWolfGirl - Lmao! XD Hehe well that's great to know love thank you! XD Glad you liked the chap! Love ya hun! (hugs)_

_Cheyenne - Yay! I'm happy you love me for writing it! XD Hehe I'm glad you enjoyed the smut (and I'm continuing to insit it has a point :P LOL) Yes it probably is quite daft of her to trust Sweeney that much XD lmao thanks so much sweetie! Love ya! (huggles)_

_Chia - Aw yay I'm glad to hear you're still reading hun! XD Lol yeah don't worry am still here lmao good to hear you are too XD Thank you so much for the review love! (huggles)_

_Veronica - Glad you liked it love XD Yes, sadistic just about sums Sweeney up really doesn't it lol. Thank you so much for the review hun, love ya! (hugs)_

_Twitch - Aw am so sorry love I feel even more guilty now, especially after making you wait ages for this one too L I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed the chap though sweetie, thanks so much for the review! (huggles)_

_Jamie - Well I'm guessing leaving you speechless was a good thing then…!? Lol! I'm glad you liked it hun XD hehe thanks so much for the review love ya! (hugs)_

_Jml - Thanks for being so understanding love it means a lot J And I'm so glad you enjoyed the chap, haha yeah I could always see these two doing that sort of thing XD Love ya! (huggles)_

_Miranda - Yeah Sweeney and Lovett are a little 'out there' aren't they XD Lmao, good way to descirbe them! ;) I'm so glad you liked the chap, and I'm glad you read and liked the oneshot I wrote as well! 'yo've completely mastered writing this type of story' - do you know how much that made me smile!? A lot, hehe, that really made me very happy thank you so much sweetie! XD Love ya hun! (huggles)_


	17. Chapter 17

_See this was quicker wasn't it XD Hehe. How is everybody then, good I hope! First of December today, we are officially in the Christmas countdown woohoo! XD Our tree went up yesterday then the cat climbed it and brought the whole lot down the little bugger! I was so cross cause it took ages to decorate but it was pretty funny he got such a fright lol!_

_Thank you a million times as always to all you wonderful people who made my day with your reviews for the last chap. I loves all of you!! XD_

_Seventeen already, my goodnes..._

* * *

Mrs. Lovett stubbornly held back tears as she leaned heavily on the side of Jimmy's crib, trying with every fibre of her being to force herself to stop breathing so fast, stop shaking, stop hurting.

"Jimmy," she murmured, dipping her hands into the crib to lift her sleeping son from it. "I love ya Jimmy," she whispered as she cuddled him tight to her, feeling bad for disturbing him but needing a distraction and needing comfort.

Jimmy groggily woke, winging a little at having being so and wriggling in his mother's arms as she held him tightly.

Sweeney's face flashed once again before her eyes, she felt his body hard against hers, pinning her down, that blade against her neck and that fear gripping her -

Digging her nails hard into her arm wrapped round Jimmy, she shook her head quickly, desperately trying to get a hold of herself and muttered hurriedly, "come on love, let's give you a bath shall we?"

Jimmy babbled happily as she splashed water over him, rubbing him clean gently with a sponge. He reached for her hand, grabbing hold of a finger and reaching with his other little hand for the sponge she held with wide eyed amazement. She gave it to him, smiling down fondly at him as he stared at it, turning it over in his hands before bringing it to his mouth.

"No, no love, don't eat that there's a good lad," she told him gently, pushing it way from him and rolling her eyes. He was teething lately and everything was consequently going in his mouth.

Jimmy laughed a little, dipping the sponge in the water, happily splashing about and Mrs. Lovett leaned her arms on the tub with a sigh as she watched him. She was trying hard, harder than she ever had not to think but it wasn't working. Her heart still pounded heavily beneath her ribcage, her throat was still tight with tears that threatened to pour and it wasn't like she could forget about the soreness between her legs...

Her head fell into her wet hands as everything suddenly washed through her intensely overwhelming, and she was crying hard, hating herself for breaking down in front of her baby son like this but unable to stop herself from doing so.

Jimmy stopped his splashing and stared up at her, his big eyes wide as his mother sobbed helplessly into her hands.

Mrs. Lovett jumped a little and lifted her head when she felt a tiny hand on her arm. Jimmy was reaching up to her, blinking in confusion.

"Oh lo - love I'm so s - sorry!" She choked out, wiping furiously at her eyes with one hand as she placed the other on his little plump cheek.

Jimmy stared up at her. "Mam-ma…"

Mrs. Lovett stopped crying immediately, freezing, her eyes wide. "Jimmy…you - ya just spoke…!" She gasped out.

"Mam…mam mam!"

Then all of a sudden she was laughing - and crying again, scooping Jimmy out of the bath and up into her arms, holding him tightly and kissing his head over and over. "Yes I'm your mama Jimmy - you're so clever - you're my clever li'le boy!" She laughed through her tears.

She wrapped him in a big towel, sitting him down on the floor in front of her and beaming at him through tear filled eyes. "Can ya say it again Jimmy? Say mama?"

He tilted his head to look at her before he exclaimed triumphantly, "Mama!"

"Yes! Yes that's right darlin'!" She bent to kiss his head, lifting him into her arms and standing up again. "Jimmy you're my clever little angle - you're talking love!" She exclaimed ecstatically, rubbing him dry a little before making to leave the bathroom hurriedly, "You're so clever! Wait 'til we tell your daddy -"

And she froze.

She closed her eyes tightly for several long seconds, unable to believe she'd forgotten for a split moment there.

It was just like him to ruin a moment like this. Another one…

"Or…" She mumbled quietly, forcing herself not to cry again. "'Ow 'bout you come 'elp yer mum make the dinner huh?"

It was like waking from a dream when real consciousness finally came back to Sweeney Todd. He was up and dressed properly again before this happened, his hand was outstretched to open the bake house door - when everything finally whirled and he shook himself with a little jolt. He spun quickly, casting his eyes round the room. Where had she gone? He was lying on top of her just moments ago…he must have not registered her leaving...

He looked over to the half-dismembered body parts lying on the work table and the cleaver dropped to the floor beside it. Why had she gone?

His brow furrowed as hazy images filled his mind. He bit his lip suddenly, realising he'd been a little rough with her…but no more than he ever had before - and anyway, she liked it as much as him. He saw her body under his again, twisting, shuddering - her sweat soaked skin as he feverishly assaulted her neck and her muffled sounds as he kissed her mouth…

He drew in a deep breath, feeling himself beginning to get aroused again and cleared his throat, hastily shaking his head to rid himself of the thoughts and he set off from the bake house to find her.

After strolling round the small building and with no sign of his wife, he'd frowned deeply - before he heard splashing and babbling coming from the bathroom, as well as her soft voice. Sweeney shrugged and turned to make his way upstairs; he had a fair bit of blood to clean up up there anyway.

Mrs. Lovett answered Toby with nothing but a glare when he wondered why Mr. Todd wasn't present at dinner and the meal was eaten in silence save for Jimmy's gurgling.

She knew she couldn't starve him. She also knew she had to see him sometime but there was no mistaking that the feeling that gripped her when she thought about that was fear. Fear of what he would say, do…fear of what state she would find him even - fear perhaps even of him - and fear of how the hell to react to such a thing.

As she slowly ascended the stairs as if they were the steps to her hanging, she decided on anger. It was either that or she'd end up in broken distress again - and although a part of her wanted to tell him everything was fine and they should just forget it all she knew she wouldn't be able to lie to him that well.

He was stood by his window, staring out blankly with a tense frown on his face that remained when he turned to face her. Now that was a picture she hadn't seen for a while.

She closed the door behind her and didn't move from it, staring into his dark eyes with unmistakable fury and pain in her own. Sweeney almost jolted back from the gaze, his brow furrowing in puzzlement of her expression.

"What's wrong?"

She stared at him incredulously for a moment before, "what the fuck do ya think's wrong Sweeney!?"

He gaped at her. "What!?" Was all he could manage.

"I can't believe what you did to me…" she suddenly whispered.

Shock was plain on his face. "I didn't do anything -"

She let out a gasp. "You _raped_ me Sweeney!"

His mouth hung open. "I - I didn't!"

"Yes you did!"

The image of her twisting beneath him flashed through his mine - and something he hadn't seen at the time - her eyes wide with unmistakable fear - tears rolling down her cheeks -

He hook his head furiously. "You're - but - you love me - you're my _wife_ -"

"So!? Ya still took me when I told ya to stop!"

"You didn't!"

"I _did,_ Sweeney!" She shrieked.

He was staring incredulously at her, opening and closing his mouth for a few moments, at a loss for words. "This is stupid - I didn't _rape_ you!" He finally spluttered.

"You did! I was scared and I told ya to stop and ya did it anyway!"

"Scared!?" Realisation suddenly dawned on him and he wanted to kick himself - "because of what happened…"

"No," she shook her head, making him look up at her sharply. Her voice was suddenly quiet. "Well that too but…I was scared of _you _Sweeney…"

"Of - of me?"

She nodded.

"Because you - you 'ad that look in yer eye -" she tried and failed to cover up her tear filled eyes with a nonchalant sad smile - "that look ya get when ya kill…"

His own eyes widened. "You thought I was going to _kill _you!?"

She looked down, considering lying. But she met his eyes again, speaking quietly. "Yes, I thought ya might 'ave done…you was so wound up and blood-crazed - and you jumped on me in all of a frenzy and I -" She took a deep shaky breath. "I don't trust ya when yer in that mood - an' I got good reason not to."

His expression was disbelief. "I would never kill you! Never - ever - I love you - how could you think I would kill you!?"

_Because you're insane_! She nearly shrieked at him - nearly - but she managed to stop herself. Instead she whispered quietly. "Because sometimes I'm scared that your blood lust is stronger than love."

He opened his mouth to protest but she cut him off -

"And sometimes the way you look at me is so…" She looked down, away from his smouldering gaze. "_Intense_…so _similar_ to the look you get when you're killing…it scares me Sweeney…" She looked back up at him. "An' I told you to stop - I told you I was scared and you was 'urting me and - it was like you didn't even _hear _me…"

He stared at her for long moments, his face struggling with expression, almost looking like he might cry.

"I…I didn't mean to hurt you - I wouldn't want to hurt you - or scare you -"

_"I know! _I know you wouldn't…that's what sacred me even more - you couldn't even _hear _me telling you to stop - or screaming - or see me crying or shaking or -" She drew a shaky breath.

The expression on his face almost made her heart break for him - he looked so pained, so hurt, so - confused. She walked cautiously up to him, her own eyes shining with tears. "It's alright, love - it's alright," gently and tentatively she wrapped her arms round him as he folded his own around her and stroked his back soothingly, feeling much like she was comforting a child. "It's alright…its alright…" she said softly, over, and over until -

"No!" He threw her away from him, staring at her with wide eyes. "No - damn it! It's not alright! It's not! It's not at all -"

She was nodding her head furiously, insisting frantically - more to him or herself she didn't know, "It is, it's fine -"

"No! Stop it - stop saying that! It's not alright, it's not fine! You should hate me - why can't you hate me - why do you always love me - why are you forgiving me so easily -" he grabbed her shoulders, shaking her, "why!?"

"What do you want me to do!?" She wailed desperately, clinging tight to the front of his shirt.

"I hurt you Nellie - I always hurt you - God - I bloody raped you no different to that scum -" He broke off suddenly, panting, forcing himself to stop yelling to say brokenly, "How can you say it's alright?"

"Because it is!" She insisted, clutching him desperately. "It is alright - you know it is - you know it always will be - I love you -"

"I'm dangerous for you, can't you see that you stupid woman!?" He suddenly yelled at her, throwing her from him. "Why do you forgive me - why do you still love me - why can't you hate me -"

His head flew to the side as her hand connected with his cheek and the stinging slap echoed round the suddenly silent room as both froze for a few shocked seconds, him panting heavily as he turned his head back to stare at her, a hand to his face as she stood breathing hard, hot rage on her features.

"Is that what you want!?" She shrieked suddenly. She shoved him hard in the chest making him stumble backwards a few paces. "You bloody bastard! After everything you do to me - every time you hurt me I always forgive - I always love you cause I can't bloody help it - you don't deserve the love I give you - you don't deserve the forgiveness but I give it to you anyway - and you don't even wanna take it!? Why are you doing this to me - what do you want from me!?" Another shove to punctuate her despair filled words, sending him reeling into his desk. "I've given you everything I've got - _everything_ - and it's not enough - it's not right for you - you're insane! You're bloody insane!" She screamed, breaking into sobs through her words as Sweeney still stared wide eyed and shocked at her, having not moved from where she'd pushed him.

When he didn't say anything she let out a yell of frustration, shoving at his chest again. "What do you want!? What can I do!?"

"_This_!" He suddenly yelled, making her take a startled step back. "This is what I want - what I deserve - you can stop loving me - just stop - hate me like I deserve! Maybe then you'll stop fucking torturing me -"

So she did. Her fist connected with his face so hard he fell backwards into the desk and blood spilled from his nose as he slammed a hand to it, reeling in pain.

She brought a furiously trembling hand to her mouth as she watched him pant hard, bending over and clutching at his nose, obviously in tremendous pain. She almost apologised, she almost threw her arms round him and told him she was sorry, so sorry, that she never meant to hurt him that bad - but she stopped herself. He _did_ deserve it. He did _ask _for it.

Instead she stood a few moments, tears spilling silently down her cheeks as he straightened, wiping repeatedly at the blood that dripped from his nose with his sleeve, his eyes watering as he blinked them, opening his mouth as his face twitched with the pain and looking anywhere but at her.

Finally she said quietly with a trembling but firm voice, "I would do anything for you….a_nything. _You know that. All I've done already…all I know I'll do in the future…anything you ask…but _don't_ you dare ask me to stop loving you - how could you? That's the one and only thing I'll _never _do for you Sweeney Todd…"

He stared at her in shocked amazement, his vision hazy through his stinging watery eyes and his nose pounding hard.

"_Do you understand that!?_" She suddenly cried.

Speechless, Sweeney nodded mutely.

She brought a hand to her head, looking down a moment, calming herself, before she looked back up at him and walked up to him, slipping her arms round his waist and pressing herself tight to him.

"I love you. I love you Sweeney Todd, I'll always love you, I'll never stop loving you, never…"

"You should…" his voice was raspy and almost silent but she heard it. She whipped her head up to look at him. He still held a hand to his nose, she could see the blood trickling through his fingers.

"Probably…but it ain't gonna 'appen so no more of it alright?"

He stared down at her and she sighed, reaching up and pulling his hand away from his nose. She bit her lip when she saw the amount of blood that covered his hand and face and still dripped from his nose.

"'Ere tilt yer 'ead back like this," she muttered softly, pinching on the top of his nose and pushing his head back.

He waved her away, moving out of her arms and pressing his own hand to his nose again, head tilted backwards to stop the bleeding.

She sighed and held out her hand. "You coming downstairs?"

He stared at her for a moment that held a little too long, his eyes searching hers before he shook his head quickly, looking away form her gaze. "Think I'll stay here for a while. You go, I'll come down in a bit."

She looked at him a second before nodding and turning to leave.

"Nellie?"

She turned back to him.

"Thank you for the -" he motioned to his nose, still dripping angry blood - and he actually sounded so honest that she choked out a little sob of laughter.

"M'sorry…"

He shook his head, dabbing repetitively at the blood with his sleeve. "No, I mean it. I needed it, thank you."

She smiled at through her tears almost wanting to burst into hysterical laughter. "You're welcome then love." She whispered, and left the room, closing the door softly behind her.

A bit came and went.

So did a while, and then a long time.

When the clock struck midnight and he still hadn't appeared she gave up and got up from the settee, flinging down the book she'd been trying to use to keep her occupied and hurried off towards the stairs.

She blinked in the darkness when she pushed open the door, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the light of only the moon through the large window.

"Love, s'late, you coming down?"

Her gaze swept the room. "Love?" Her heart began to pound and her eyes continued to frantically roam round the room, knowing she must have missed his dark form- but after a few moments she was forced to realise that it wasn't there.

She told herself to calm down; he had obviously gone out to clear his head, it wouldn't be the first time - she didn't know why she felt unmistakable panic gripping her -

Then she saw it, and she knew in that split second without even touching it what it was.

"No, no, no, no, no, no!" She muttered desperately as she tore across the room and grabbed the piece of paper on the desk, knowing she had to be wrong, knowing it would just let her know he would be back in a bit -

_Nellie_

_I will never hurt you again, and this time I mean it._

She wasn't wrong. She knew what that meant. She also knew that the splotch of ink underneath was where he had been going to write, 'I love you,' but knew there was no need.

Her heart stopped and she felt for a moment she would suffocate.

Her legs no longer able to support her she crumpled to the floor, frantically shaking her head, reading the note over and over, hoping each time that it would change, that she would be wrong but they remained the same, hurting her like the twist of a knife in her heart each time she read them, hearing them even when her vision became too blinded by her tears for her to see them any more.

Her screaming cry of anguish echoed round the empty room.

* * *

_Okay so I was definitely right to put 'drama' as the category as well as romance for this wasn't I? :P_

_Again will hopefully not be too long with the next chap, also I know I said it will be more than twenty chaps last one, but I'm changing/cutting some stuff I was going to use so I /am/ going to be aiming for the two-o with this, (plus I like round numbers XD) but we will see._

_Take care sweeties, please let me know your thoughts as always, you know they make my day! (life XD) And please don't hurt me for this one! -ducks-_

_x x x_


	18. Chapter 18

_Yeah I know, took a bit of a while but it was tricky to write this one. I've used that excuse a lot haven't I LOL but it's true, and I'm also ill atm which doesn't help my concentration. I've actually been asleep pretty much all day today lol I hate that feel like I've wasted a day. Was supposed to be going Christmas shopping as well…:(_

_Ah well at least I'll be fine for Christmas, I think I had something like this on actual Christmas day last year which really failed cause I had a blocked nose and everything and couldn't taste Christmas dinner properly! _

_Well hope all of you lot are doing good aaaand hope you enjoy the chap as I always do XD there will be just 20 for definite now cause I know exactly how I'm doing it so the end is nigh! _

* * *

After that first night she didn't cry. Perhaps she cried enough that night to last her the rest of her lifetime because her tears didn't stop falling, her sobs didn't top shaking her body until the sun had started to rise and she more or less passed out from emotional exhaustion.

Then that was it. When she'd woken after only a couple of hours rest that morning she somehow managed to convince herself that he hadn't left her for good - that he would come back, without a doubt, and all she had to do was wait for him.

The days were a blur. She kept busier than she ever had, waiting, not living, just waiting for her husband to return. Hours turned into days that turned into weeks, everything a blur, a false reality, her life on pause even as it passed her by.

She didn't cry. She wouldn't let herself, there was no need for tears because there was nothing to cry about of course. He hadn't gone anywhere. He would be back soon.

She didn't let herself cry and she didn't let herself remember…but she couldn't stop her dreams. All she saw when she was sleeping was him. Her nights were filled with memories, images, feelings…_him._

Often they were good, often they set her to waking with a wrenching pain in her heart when she turned her head to an empty space and realised it _was _but another dream. But often they were bad too.

The worse one had been a coupe of weeks after he'd gone. She'd dreamed of the day he left. What had happened earlier in that day - what had happened that ultimately caused his leaving. She hadn't let herself think about that since he'd been gone. She'd dreamed of him pouncing on her like he had, of the terror she felt then - and of that face with his eyes so dark and mad…and then the face had melded into another and she'd seen the man who had raped her that terrible night that seemed like an eternity ago and yet yesterday at the same time.

In her dream she'd shoved him frantically off her and slammed his head into the ground like she had in real life - she'd slammed and slammed until the back of it was nothing but a mess of blood, skin and bone and a puddle of hot red liquid formed on the ground around him - and then that face - that still face, frozen in twisted agony had changed back into Sweeney's…

She'd screamed and screamed - aloud or in her dream she didn't know but she hadn't woken yet - Sweeney had got up suddenly, his head healed and the blood gone. And then the blood was on her - all over her and she was the one laying in a pool of it -

Her eyes were wide and her mouth was open in a shreik but there was no sound coming out, her face twisted in panic and terror - she knew this because she saw herself, she was watching herself, laying on bake house floor, with blood every where…and then Sweeney was hovering over her with that same terrifying madness in his eyes…his razor was in his hand - against her neck -

Both her on the floor and her watching did scream then as suddenly that hand came back - and then he struck - she watched in horror as blood spilled form her neck - poured, even, spurting in a great fountain she could see before her very eyes and although she could feel nothing she screamed in agony as she died, and saw only his black eyes through the sheet of red before her own -

She hadn't slept for three days after that dream, terrified of having it again or another like it.

Often, she dreamed of him coming back, sometimes he would walk through that shop door one day just like he had when he'd returned nearly two years ago after fifteen long cold ones. Sometimes he'd appear in the parlour at night as she was sat gazing into the fire - she'd look up and there he was in the doorway…then sometimes she'd wander up to his empty room and he'd be sat in his chair like he'd never left.

Once she'd woken in her bed to the feel of it moving, only to see him slipping in next to her. He'd taken her in his arms and held her tightly and she'd clung to him desperately. She'd cried in her dream as she couldn't in reality - with relief and joy as he'd rocked her and kissed her and promised never to leave her again….she'd woken up with a pounding heart, physically shaking in her cold bed. She'd had a hard time not crying then.

But there was no need for her tears. Because he hadn't left her.

For too long she lived in this blissful denial, living in a state rather than her life.

It was when she got into her bed one Tuesday night, that the tears suddenly started to pour.

Two months. It had been two months to the day since he'd left. And she knew then she couldn't go on pretending forever, couldn't go on drifting only half-alive like this, her life in suspense until he returned - because she knew she had to face the fact…

Sweeney Todd wasn't coming back.

* * *

"Mr. T?"

His eyes snapping back open, he resisted the urge to sigh. He knew that tone of voice, and he knew she only called him Mr. T when she had been thinking a long time about something and had finally decided to ask him one of her obscure out-of-the-blue questions.

"What?"

There was a small pause. "Can I ask ya something?" She said softly, her voice lowered for their sleeping five-month-old son's benefit.

"No."

She didn't ignore him and continue anyway like she usually did, instead fell silent, without even a huff, and after a few moments he sighed heavily and grumbled, "what?"

He could hear her biting her lip in the dark. "Doesn't matter." She finally mumbled. Before he could say anything she quickly leant up, her hands going to tug at his trouser fastenings, getting them open. "You wanna do it?" She muttered absently even as she slipped a leg over his torso and rolled onto him, pulling her nightgown up.

He'd wanted to stop her, curiosity getting the better of him but as she quickly rubbed him to hardness and guided him into her hot sheath he found himself forgetting all about curiosity and his hands went to her hips, gripping as he rolled them, twisting her underneath him.

He moved inside her, rocking them into the mattress, bending to kiss her mouth, then her neck, lifting his head to look down at her, then seeing her crinkled forehead…he paused suddenly in his movements. "Alright what's wrong?" He demanded, frowning down at her.

"Nothing's wrong," she said quickly, averting her eyes from his smouldering gaze. "Just keep going." She kissed his neck, biting down a little on the skin there and moaning loudly when his hips bucked into hers again, using her own to urge him on.

He didn't miss how her moan was a little too loud and how her body didn't quiver like it usually did as she vocalised her pleasure…so she thought she could distract him with sex did she?

After he'd finished and she lay curled against him he waited until their breathing had returned to normal to talk.

"You know, Sweeney suddenly drawled, "for all the years of practice you had with Albert…you're surprisingly terrible at faking it."

Mrs. Lovett's heart stopped.

"Wha - what!?" She spluttered. "Why - what do you mean - I didn't -"

Sweeney rolled his eyes. "Don't lie to me as well." He said with a hint of bitterness in his voice.

After a painful silence she mumbled, "I'm sorry love…"

He grunted. "So are you going to tell me what's wrong or do I just not do it for you anymore?"

She raised her head to fix him with a look.

"Sweeney," she said heavily, "you _know_ you do, don't be stupid. I just…couldn't concentrate is all…"

"Why?"

She shook her head, resting it back on his chest and squeezing him tightly, clamping her arms round his hard body. Then finally after a good five minutes of tense silence she whispered into the darkness, "don't ever leave me..."

He was slightly shocked - at the raw desperation in her voice as well as her words but he rolled his eyes. "Why would I?" he grunted.

"I couldn't' bear it…"

He was frowning now. "What on earth's brought this on?"

She shrugged, shifting her head on him slightly. "Just…Mrs. Williams came in the shop today…I said she weren't looking well and she told me Mr. Williams 'ad left 'er last week, after six years of marriage, just like that…"

"Nellie for goodness sake -"

"No, no, I know but - it just got me thinking, I couldn't 'elp it…last time you went, when you got taken to prison…" She shifted against him again, suddenly realising she'd never actually admitted this to him and reluctant to do so.

"What…?"

"Um…I know we weren't…er…but - it hurt me, so much…to 'ave you gone from my life - and I couldn't bear it if it 'appened again - especially now, after everything - I think I'd die and I'm not just saying that -"

"Nellie!" He cut her off, quietening her distressed babbling. "You're being bloody ridiculous, of course I'm not going to leave you, where would I go - back to Australia!?"

She huffed a little. "Don't make bloody jokes I'm being serious 'ere -"

"So am I. I love you as I keep having to remind you - why would I leave you?"

"Promise me," she begged.

He sighed heavily. "Nellie Todd," he said to her, "The only way I'll ever be leaving you…is in death."

Her eyes softened but she frowned at the same time. "Don't say that," she mumbled.

He rolled his eyes. "We all die."

"I know but…don't wanna think about that, please."

"Well, you wanted a promise," he grunted.

She sighed heavily. "Alright. Thank you then. She lifted her head to lock eyes with him and suddenly grinned. "'Til death do us part."

He rolled his eyes again. "Looks like it."

* * *

She wiped at another stray tear with the back of a bloodied hand, mentally scolding herself for it as she always did.

Since she'd forced herself to admit about a month ago that her husband really had left her and wasn't going to come back, the tears and memories were no longer off limits - or controllable. Of course there was still that hope…but that was the hardest thing to deal with, as every day she woke alone, every night she got into a cold bed it was thwarted once again.

It was always down here that the tears seemed to find her. Up there she had to be strong, she had to go on and live, work, look after herself and Jimmy and Toby…

If it was only her she knew she truly would have died by now like she'd told Sweeney she would that night. But now…living was the most important thing she had to do.

Now…now…

_Now_…

A noise jolted her from her thoughts and she froze, turning from the half chopped up piece of pork on her table to the door, tuning her ears into the sound.

She realised it was footsteps on the stairs just a moment too late to yell out to Toby for the fiftieth time that he wasn't to come in here - there was nothing to hide anymore of course but here was the only escape from the mask she had to wear up there all the time -

The door swung open -

But it wasn't Toby in the threshold.

It was Sweeney.

Remembering she needed to breath after several seconds, she shook herself once, then twice, blinking furiously to be rid of this cruel hallucination sent to torment her. But he didn't go. He was really here.

Her heart pounded furiously in her chest, her dark eyes wide and locked onto his.

She wanted to run to him - then she wanted scream at him and hurt him - then throw her arms round him and never let go - then burst into tears -

But then she looked at him - really looked at him - and felt the hugest sense of relief wash over her, like suddenly everything in her world was right. Her eyes softened and she gave him a sad but joy filled smile, struggling against the lump in her throat. "You came back…" She uttered.

He stared at her. He didn't smile, didn't nod, didn't speak.

Her smile faded as silence stretched between them and his still gaze didn't waver from hers.

There was something in his eyes - something she'd seen flickers of before - something that stopped her heart and froze her blood -

Sweeney clicked his razor open.

* * *

_Eeek!_

_I'll try not to leave you hanging too long…_

_Thanks soo so so much as always for all the wonderful brilliant amazing reviews darlings, you've no idea the inspiration they give me! Most writers talk about a muse don't they well I don't need one I have you guys to inspire me to write! XD _

_Love to you all!_

_x x x_


	19. Chapter 19

_This story is going so fast! It feels like yesterday I began posting this, I can't believe I'm almost done with it already!_

_And look we're getting closer to Christmas! You know, this is actually all going to work out perfectly, this story - timing, chapters, everything. I'm quite proud of myself actually! XD_

_Thank you so much my wonderful darlings for all the reviews (threatening as some were XD) Jeesh I had you all in a right panic, I know the cliffhangers are mean but I love to get you all so worked up - it means I'm doing my job with writing this properly! ;) hehe thanks so much sweeties, you make my days happy ones lol! :D_

_Now for chapter 19..._

* * *

Fifteen years of backbreaking labour in the burning Australian sun was nothing compared to this.

Every morning he woke alone, every night he got into a cold bed his whole body was wrenched with a feeling of emptiness. Every minute of the day was a struggle not to go flying back to Fleet Street and back to her.

Sweeney lived only in the moment, as much as he could. He tried not to let himself think, remember, see her face in his mind. He drifted through the days like a ghost only half filled with enough life to keep him going.

The small room he'd rented reeked of damp and drafts whistled through the roof. He could afford better with the money he'd taken with him of course, but what was the point? He wouldn't feel any different, any better, hurt any less for sleeping in a softer bed.

When he first left, tempting though it was to do nothing but sit slumped against the wall and let his thoughts take over him, he knew that would do him absolutely no good…unlike the last time he'd felt pain something similar to this (although he knew not nearly as intense) his brooding would do that pain no good, because, unlike the last time, there was no solution to it. There was no end to it and never would be.

So instead the work he filled his days with down at the docks was hard indeed, but nothing compared to work he'd endured before, and although it kept him busy, it did little to quell the empty ache he carried round inside.

Still, it did the trick; it prevented his thoughts and feelings during the day, stopped him from seeing her face on every surface, hearing her voice in his head every moment of the day.

It was at night that the thoughts were not so easy to hush. Impossible, even.

For the first few weeks he slept little, for sleep brought only dreams, and dreams brought only her. Memories and images filled his head against his will, to the point that he was delirious with it. Those blades of his, those beautiful blades (that had pierced _her_ skin _- no_, no not that) were his only escape, it was only in the blood that spilled from open necks that he found his few seconds of salvation - until the body would slump, dead against the dirty London alleyway and he would feel no different to before.

After several weeks he gave up on that, and spent his nights only shut up in his room, pacing, sharpening his blades - perhaps sleeping, but not for long.

He'd lost count of the amount of time's he'd nearly gone back to her. It was, after all, at least once a night.

But she was there to stop him. Her tear-streaked face, eyes filled with terror or pain or both…an expression he had seen on her more than once, and one he had always been the cause of. But it was her face on the night he had left her that kept him away most of all.

The amount of times the scene that had taken place in the bake house shortly before - ultimately causing his unpreventable departure - had played out in his mind he'd lost count. He replayed it over and over, every time seeing more of the truth of it, every time feeling a little more (if that was indeed possible) guilt for what he'd done to her.

Her eyes had been wide, her mouth open in a gasp as she'd wriggled beneath him - no…_struggled. _"Sweeney, please," she'd begged… "don't…you're scaring me…"

Scaring her. He'd scared her. She was afraid of him, of her own husband. And what hurt him the most, was not the fact that the fear had been caused by the worry she had that he might have been so blood crazed that he would have killed her…but that he didn't know, truly, inside, if there wasn't a moment there when he could have done.

He was dangerous indeed, he'd told her that that night he'd left. He did love her, more than anything, but that love was so intense that he knew now it only made him more of a danger to her. He'd told her to stop loving him and she'd told him she wouldn't. So what else could he have done? For he couldn't go on with her like this, every day she killed him a little more, every moment his need for her was more intense.

His need for her…that was just it. He had her, so why was this burning…_something_…there inside all the time? He'd mistaken it for lust for her for so long, and there was, of course, that moment when he'd be buried inside her and all thoughts and feelings would disappear except for bliss…but the moment was always too short, and he'd come to realise that quenching this feeling with sex was like curing starvation with a grain of rice.

What did he need of her then? He didn't know, and that was what tormented him more than anything. He just wanted her…every minute, every second - and she was his he knew, she'd told him herself so many times and he knew it as sure as he knew he loved her so why did he feel this way? He just loved her, and everything about her…he loved her to the point of insanity and what had terrified him many a time was that he felt like it was something he was hovering on the brink of, something that every so often, he'd understand, just for a split second - then it would be gone like a grasped-for handle to stop him falling which shifted just out of reach.

Sweeney was all too aware that he'd let himself become obsessed with her. He'd known that for a long time now, much as he'd tried to tell himself it was love he felt, not obsession to start with, he now admitted to himself that his love for her _was _obsession, and there wasn't anything he could do about that because, apparently, it was just the way Sweeney Todd loved.

Perhaps that had something to do with the intensity of the hatred he'd been created out of…in fact he was sure it was, because, as had occurred to him (and rather worried him) many times before, the obsession he had harboured for revenge felt frighteningly similar to this obsession he now held for his wife…

But back then…there'd been and always had been an ending in sight of the dark hunger that consumed his mind. His whole life had been geared towards that moment he had finally achieved, and that had been the one thing keeping him sane (perhaps sane was not the word but certainly keeping his mind straight in one direction) but now…what? What was he hungering for!? What was at the end of this desperation he felt for her - for nothing so far had cured it.

And nothing _would _cure it. Nothing that was thinkable. And this was why Sweeney could never go back to her.

* * *

"What's wrong?"

She frowned up at her husband, her brow furrowing in that way that was irritating because it meant she was unhappy about something but wouldn't say, but at the same time also painfully adorable.

"Nothing's wrong. Just keep going."

Sweeney knew there _was _something wrong. He could read the woman like a bloody book - and she was also terrible at hiding things from him - as well as lying to him.

In fact, he didn't think he could recall a time she ever had, not really…and if she did it hadn't lasted long.

This one wasn't going to either.

He gave her several minutes, enough time for them to catch their breath before he spoke.

"You know, for all the years of practice you had with Albert…you're surprisingly terrible at faking it."

He didn't try to hide the slight bitterness and hurt in his voice, in fact he wanted to shake her in an angered panic and ask her what the hell was wrong but he managed to restrain himself.

When she'd good as admitted it with her quiet apology he went on, "So are you going to tell me what's wrong or do I just not do it for you anymore?" He didn't keep the bitterness out of that one either, but he hoped it would cover her hearing the actual real upset and panic this had given him.

The feeling had calmed a little with her reassurances, but not properly until she'd explained after another pause exactly why she'd been distracted…

* * *

It was a Sunday. Sundays were never good, for there was no work to be found on a Sunday for Sweeney to loose himself in, and he was forced instead, to be shut up in his small cold room alone with his thoughts all day.

Darkness was falling now. How many darkness's would this be? It was nearly three months. Three whole months. How he'd ever made it three months he didn't know.

Today he'd managed to busy himself all day with mending his worn clothes and, of course, sharpening and polishing those gleaming razors of his. But the darkness was the worst, because for some reason, it always brought thoughts of her - perhaps because the night was when he knew her best.

This night had brought a particular memory back to him. He wasn't sure why exactly that particular night had decided to replay itself suddenly so vividly in his mind…

"Don't ever leave me," she'd begged him after the painful pause, seemingly out of the blue - her voice quiet, desperate.

How silly a thing to ask of him, he'd thought. Why would he ever do that - didn't she know by now how much he needed her? He said as much to her, but still, she'd begged for a promise.

And a promise he'd given her.

"Nellie Todd," he'd said to her, "The only way I'll ever be leaving you…is in death."

She hadn't liked that much, mumbling about not wanting to think such things, but he'd got her to stop her fussing with reminding her that she had wanted a promise, and promise he'd given her.

"'Til death do us part," she'd eventually grinned at him...

Sweeney's heart stopped.

And _then_ he realised why this particular memory had occurred to him.

He couldn't go back to her - what a stupid, foolish thing to think! What a _wrong _thing to think - never in his life had he felt so wrong, so lost as these past three months - even when he'd been taken from Lucy and Johanna it hadn't felt this bad…for he knew he could never last fifteen whole years away from _her_…

It was wrong. He should never have gone - they never were meant to be separated - he'd said so himself! What had he done…

Sweeney's eyes were wild now, wild with manic glee at the revelation that had occurred to him. He paced his room furiously, whirling fast at every turn.

Yes, yes…of course…a _solution_. The memory had come to him because it was a solution _- the _solution, the only one! Had he really been kidding himself that he - and her, for he knew her suffering was surely as great as his - could go on like this forever, live the rest of their lives apart!?

_It was wrong _- him leaving her had been wrong, them being apart was so, so wrong. They should be together, forever - she was his, and this is what he'd been hungering for all this time, this had been what was tearing him up form the inside out - that although she gave him all she had - she'd said as much herself - it was never enough, she could never be his enough -

Not while she was alive.

He flicked open his razor, pausing briefly in the beam of moonlight filtering through the small window to watch the blade gleam in it's silver beauty. _Oh my friend, my wise, clever friend…how you've begged for her blood…why didn't I listen to you!?_

This was the only way, this was the perfect way. She would be his, and his alone…forever…

His footsteps were steady and purposeful on the cobbled streets, that blade, that wonderful, good friend of his warm in his hand, closed now, it's thrill of being so close to getting what it most desired - _all_ it really desired sending tingles up through his skin.

The shop was dark, the back room lit dimly by just a few candles, the boy nowhere in sight - probably passed out by now anyway - she must be down in the bake house.

Perfect. It was all so perfect.

Thud, thud went his feet on the stairs, steadily, un-rushed - perfectly calm although his whole body screamed out for him to take them three at a time, to burst in and -

The heavy iron door creaked loudly as he opened it, just like it always had.

Then she was there.

Oh she was beautiful as ever - even more beautiful, if that was indeed possible.

Her huge eyes went even huger as she saw him, her breath catching, her body freezing and his eyes locked with her own, both of them frozen in their silent gaze.

Then she spoke; he hardly heard her words but that beautiful voice, that pure and true emotion, that love of hers sang out through it and shone through her gleaming eyes as ever and he knew this was right.

He stared at her, drinking in her whole self, beautiful, lovely, perfect as ever.

Yes, it had all pointed to this, everything had come down to this one moment…

Sweeney clicked his razor open.

* * *

_Aaaaa…_

_I /know/ I know, that is about the cruellest cliffhanger I've ever given you…oooh I can't wait to read your reactions to this!_

_So this chapter is pretty jumbled and Sweeney's thoughts probably don't make entirely all that much sense - they're not supposed to, he's insane in case you haven't quite picked that up by now ;)_

_The next chapter /is/ the last chapter, and although I have, and have had for quite some time now, a lot of it written already, it's going to need to be perfect, of course, so it might be a little while - but not too long don't worry, that would be cruel of me ;) Buuut I tell you now I promise you one grand finale! ;)_

_x x x _


	20. Chapter 20

_And so we arrive at the final chapter. _

_Twenty…it's not all that big a number when you think about it, but I think plenty enough's happened in that shortish space of time for this to end here. _

_I didn't take all that long with this one did I? ;) XD Well…I won't delay you any longer. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, barbers and bakers: I present to you the Grand Finale of Obsession, chapter twenty…_

* * *

Her smile faded as silence stretched between them and his still gaze didn't waver from hers.

He stared at her, drinking in her whole self, beautiful, lovely, perfect as ever -

There was something in his eyes - something she'd seen flickers of before - something that stopped her heart and froze her blood -

Yes, it had all pointed to this, everything had come down to this moment -

Sweeney clicked his razor open.

Mrs. Lovett's eyes widened, horror and shock rushing into her expression as those dark orbs flicked down to the blade at his side.

And then he smiled at her.

He took a step.

"Sweeney," she breathed, her eyes wide and cautious, fear evident in them as she recoiled back just a little.

Another step.

"Sweeney what are you doing?" she cautioned, her voice low, hardly daring to speak the words, her heart beating so fast she felt it would explode.

Another step. His eyes hadn't wavered from hers.

"Stop it! Sweeney, say something -!?" Her voice was higher, starting to get frantic as she backed into her work table.

His expression didn't change, his gaze didn't break. Another step.

She scuttled to the side so she could continue to back away, quickly, not daring to shift her gaze from his.

"Sweeney," she tried again. "Stop this, now, stop it!" Her eyes flicked nervously, just briefly to his razor. "What are you doing??"

He spoke then, his voice low and calm. "This is the only way…" he said as he stalked towards her, that razor clenched at his side. "It always has been the only way."

She shook her head furiously, still backing away from him as he came at her, wanting to sob with fear and despair at knowing the meaning of those words. "No! No, no, no!" Her back hit a wall, making her jump. "I love you!" She cried at him.

He nodded. "Yes. And I love you. Can't you see, it always had to be this way for us."

"What are you talking about!? What do ya mean!?" She said frantically. "You're here now - come back to me, we'll be fine, we'll go on - this is 'ow it's meant to be -"

"No!" He suddenly roared, cutting off her with his sharp yell. He'd stopped a few feet away from her, his eye wide and wild. "No, it's not - it never was! It's you - always you - it's worse than the judge - you've driven me crazy you bitch!"

She gasped at his words, her heart wrenching in agony -

Then he whispered, "I love you…"

Another wrench - that one hurt more perhaps than his outburst…it was like the fact was a torment to him… "Then don't do this - Sweeney please - if you love me don't -"

"I have to! I have to because I love you - can't you see this was always how it was mean to be for us!?"

She was shaking her head furiously, her eyes wide with her fear as she pressed her back flat against the wall.

"A promise is a promise after all my dear," he growled, a gleam in his eye, a smile suddenly tugging at his lips.

She was still shaking her head, panicked, "you're crazy Sweeney! You've lost yer bloody mind!"

He shook his own then. "No," he whispered, "not lost it - found it." A slight smile twitched his lips - a wild smile, lingering for a brief second, his eyes flashing. "You had it. You've still got it - you always have had…" he wavered suddenly, pain shooting through his face. "I was lost without you - I was nothing…"

She brought a hand to her mouth, stifling a sob. "And me Sweeney…I could 'ardly live…"

He blinked slowly. "I didn't live. I haven't been alive these past three months…" He shook himself suddenly, a little jolt before he said, "but that's over now, we'll be together, never apart again…forever…"

She saw his fist clench tighter on the razor, still open at his side.

Her eyes flicked to the door before locking back into his, frozen for a second, contemplating her chances -

She flew for the only exit, tearing past him before he realised she had done, dashing frantically across the bake house towards the door -

Strong arms locked round her waist and neck as she shrieked out, and they pushed her over to the wall beside the door, driving her into it, her body suddenly pinned there by another as she struggled and panicked hopelessly. "Where are you going my love?" He growled into her ear, his voice low and hot -almost mocking - was this some sort of sick game to him!?

He spun her in his grasp, effortlessly pinning her to the wall with an arm across the front of her and a blade to her throat as she gave a shrill cry of terror.

"No, please! Please don't kill me!" She begged desperately.

"It's the only way," Sweeney said softly to her, his body pressed to hers, his face so close and his razor to her neck. "My dear, my love, my sweet…my beautiful Nellie…" Then suddenly he was kissing her, his hand winding in her hair, keeping her there, and her mouth was still under his, open in a sob, knowing this was hopeless; that his head was so far gone that nothing she could do or say would stop him because he actually thought this was _right!_

All of a sudden he wrenched his mouth away from hers - his hand clenched tighter on his razor, his arm tensed, it dug harder against her throat, preparing to slit it open -

"_Sweeney!_" She cried desperately - she had to try! "You said you couldn't live these months without me - 'ow do ya think you're gonna last the rest of your _life!?_" She shrieked at him.

As soon as the words were out she knew. Her heart stopped, and horror crossed her face.

"I'm not going to." He confirmed her fear.

Tears poured form her wide eyes. "This is insane! Don't do this please _- please _I don't want to die - God - I _can't _die, not now -"

"No!" He cut her off. "_You _don't have a choice! This is the only way it was ever meant to be - don't try to stop me - don't you dare try to talk me out of this with your bloody words - it's your fucking fault this has gone on so long - got so far - it never should have! This is how it always should have been!"

"_No!" _She cried, "it's not Sweeney - this is wrong - just listen to me please - I need you to listen to me because I can't die -"

"Shut up!" He suddenly roared, silencing her to whimpers of fear as she squeezed her tear filled eyes tightly shut. It was when she felt no pain, heard no words that she gingerly opened them again, finding them immediately widening in confusion when she saw the suddenly tender expression on his face, the softness in his own eyes.

"I love you," he told her, now quiet, almost calm. He pulled her head back by her hair - firmly but not roughly, bearing her neck to him -

"I love _you!" _She cried at him. "I do and always will - I promise, I swear - there's no need for this -"

"No need for this!?" He laughed then - a crazy, short laugh. "This is all there ever has been need for - all that ever was right." His hand gripped harder in her hair -

"_Jimmy!" _She shrieked at him. "Jimmy, Sweeney!"

He couldn't even hear her, didn't register the words she was crying at him, nothing she could say now would stop this…

He kissed her again - was this his last kiss, was this his final goodbye?

"Please - love no! You can't _do this _- _listen_ to me -" She gasped out when he released her lips.

"I do love you Nellie…we'll be fine now, we'll be right now…" He leant into her once more and she knew then that he intended to do it as he kissed her, slit her throat and end her life with his lips on hers, drink her final moment of life, breathe her last breath, finally make her his how he'd always wanted to -

Then one thought suddenly occurred to her - one crazy, insane, stupid idea that may very well still lead to her death but she was going to die anyway - and in seconds - if she didn't try something and she _couldn't_ let him kill her...and her pleas of love or any words of desperation she could throw at him were no use for he hardly heard them - and all they did was make him believe this was more right -

So in a desperate attempt to snap her husband out of his crazed obsessed madness she tried the only thing that had one possible shred of hope of working -

"_I killed your wife!" _

Sweeney froze at her sudden scream, his mouth just inches from hers.

He'd heard that alright.

He blinked, the blade wavered against her neck, dazed shock ran over his face - for a moment she thought he may black out…

Oh what a stupid idea! She braced herself for the pain, squeezing her eyes shut, knowing her death was now not only seconds away but guaranteed to be painful too -

Then a ragged whisper; "_what?"_

It was barely audible but she heard it loud and clear -

She snapped her eyes open. Her lip trembled at the anguished disbelief and confusion that was suddenly on his face. She could do nothing else… "Lucy," she whispered shakily. "I killed Lucy…"

Once again she prepared herself for he blow but it didn't come…instead;

"_Why!?" _And the word was filled with so much pain that in that second she suddenly regretted not only telling him but for the first time actually _doing it_ more than anything she'd ever done in the world.

"I'm sorry - so sorry - I - I just - she…" She choked back a sob she had hadn't realised was on it's way. "I lied to ya from the start, I let ya believe she'd died when she took the poison but she 'ad't -" She was babbling now, hardly knowing herself how she could get her words out but knowing the only thing she could do was explain to him like her life depended on it - it probably did.

"She went mad from the arsenic when it didn't kill 'er - didn't even remember who she was - she weren't yer wife anymore Sweeney! She turned into a begger an' a whore - but she was still 'ere - she he kept coming 'round - 'aunting me she was - and when you was back I just…got so scared of you finding 'er an' wanting 'er back instead of me - and when you started sleeping wi' me - I were _terrified_ of you finding 'er - but she wasn't 'herself - I didn't want ya 'urt! If you seen what she became - it was best you not knowing - I swear on me life if she'd been the same I wouldn't 'ave done it, of course not - that woman I killed weren't even yer wife, and I -"

"_Shut up!_" He suddenly roared, stopping her desperate babbling immediately and leaving her to break down into sobs in front of him.

She squeezed eyes shut tightly. "I'm sorry - I'm sorry love - I'm _so sorry_ - I just didn't want you 'urt - I didn't want 'er to take you from me -" She was cut of with a scream that spilled from her throat as he twisted the hand in her hair painfully, yanking her head backwards by it and her eyes snapped open to stare terrified into his.

"How _could you!?" _He cried brokenly - she felt pain shoot through her at the actual tears that were in his eyes.

"Please -" she sobbed -

He slammed his razor against her throat -

"No, don't please!" She shrieked desperately as tears streamed down her cheeks as she pleaded helplessly with him for only one reason.

"Why not!?" He raged. "Why shouldn't you die you treacherous bitch!?"

"No!" She sobbed, "you _can__'__t _- you can't kill me _please _-!"

"You think I can't!? You think I can't drag this blade slowly across your throat right now and watch your lying little body convulse in agony - _I loved you _- I _love _you - more than anything else - do you know the _torment_ you put me through - and you - _you - _! How could you have done this -!? You'll deserve every second of pain for all you've given me -"

"No! I know - I don't doubt that you could kill me! I know you can - 'ell know's I deserve it -"

His hand twisted tighter in her hair, he opened his mouth to speak -

"_But could you kill our child!?__" _She suddenly shrieked.

Sweeney froze against her in confusion.

Gulping and taking a shuddering breath she forced words out through her sobs. "Could you slit Jimmy's throat!? 'Cause if you kill me now, that's just what you'll be doing -" her voice dropped to a whisper - "does our _child _deserve to die?"

His eyes were wide as saucers and frantic puzzlement was written all over his face. "Jimmy - what!?"

"No -" she choked out. "Not Jimmy."

He blinked - a few moments - deadly silence - then a quick, hoarse whisper; "you're pregnant?"

She nodded mutely and he registered the hand she had pressed to her stomach.

He stood breathing hard, staring with crazed eyes at her stomach before he snapped them back to hers. "If you're lying -"

"I'm not!" She wailed, cutting him off. She closed her eyes as tears spilled down her cheeks, dropping her voice to a whisper. "I ain't bled since you left. I'm about three months gone."

She dared to open them again after a moment of silence to see his wide eyes staring into hers, his forehead crinkled in anguish and confusion, his mouth open.

Her own pain-filled eyes searched his, looking desperately for the man she loved in them, knowing he was still there somewhere. "Don't kill our baby…" she pleaded with him desperately. When he didn't reply she plunged on. "We can fix it -" she begged desperately, "please - we 'ave to - it's your child Sweeney, inside me - and mine - our child - Jimmy's brother or sister…" taking a chance she tugged his hand which had become limp in her hair down between them and placed it on her stomach, both of her own firmly over it, and she breathed hard, perfectly still, her heart pounding as she watched his face.

He stared a moment, completely frozen…

His razor hit the floor with a clang.

Relief washed over her so heavily that her legs nearly gave way, her eyes closing as still she shook fiercely from the fear that had gripped her.

Sweeney didn't speak for a long time, his hand not moving from her stomach although she could feel it had begun to tremble there. She could only breathe, the wall supporting her whole weight as she scrambled to pull herself back together from the shattered pieces the trauma of what had just happened (and _so_ nearly happened) had left her in.

Finally Sweeney dropped his hand and flicked his gaze from her stomach to her eyes. His quiet voice made her jump. "I can't forgive you."

Although the words cut her heart she nodded sadly and swallowed. "There's things I can't forgive you for either."

He nodded too.

Another silence.

Then he said, "but…they get easier in time to deal with?"

She looked up sharply at him then before her eyes softened. "Everything gets easier in time love…" Another swallow. "So…there will be time?"

"Yes…" he placed a hand on her stomach again. "There'll have to be."

She tried at a weak smile through her tears. Then, "do you still love me?" She asked, hardly daring, the whisper so quiet he barely caught it.

He thought a long moment about that and she became terrified of the answer, convinced herself in those long moments, short as they actually were, that he didn't. Of course he didn't - how could he after what she'd done?

"I hate you." He hissed at her.

What an effort it was for her to remain standing after hearing those words leave his lips…

"For everything you've done to me, for making me love you so much when all the while you lied to me and betrayed me…and I hate you _- so much_ -" he almost roared the last part until he paused and his voice dropped to an impossibly soft tone - "for the fact that after all that…I still bloody love you, you damn bitch…"

She snapped her head up sharply, freezing mid-sob to stare wide eyed into his dark orbs in shock.

He looked for a moment like he might elaborate on that and she looked like she might comment on it, before he asked her, his own voice quiet; "do you still love _me_?"

"Always." She breathed without missing a beat "Forever. Even if you 'ad killed me…I'd 'ave loved you right into hell…"

Their lips fell together then, inevitably, desperately, confused and frantic, followed by tongues, then bodies.

He took her roughly - or rather, they took each other roughly, clinging and pressing and gripping so tight as if they would never let the other go - perhaps because they had come so close to doing so.

"We'll be alright now Sweeney," she whispered to him after, as they lay pressed close to each other, her hand on his cheek, as his was on hers, her thumb stroking softy, neither caring of the cold stone floor beneath them. "We'll be alright," she repeated, firmer.

It was a moment before her husband got out, "but…how? Now - after…_everything_…_how!?__"_

She shook her head. "I don't know but…we will. We'll get by. We 'ave to." She moved her hand from his face to take his and place it on her stomach, hers over it.

Sweeney stared at her for a long moment before he nodded slowly. "We'll get by."

* * *

_x - x - x_

* * *

_And so, that concludes this story. _

…_I am /dying/ to know your reactions to this! _

_No, I never planned to kill either of them. Yes, I knew this ending from the beginning, I knew it when the very idea of this story occurred to me, this /was/ the idea for the story - in fact I wrote that last part when I'd only written about a paragraph of the first chapter XD Remember the last image you see in my trailer? ;) And yes, I've spent the whole story building everything up to point towards it ending /with/ him killing her, there's actually something in most chapters suggesting a tragic ending, if you look. The crucial rape chapter which remember I said served an important purpose not only served the purpose of contributing to Sweeney's insane obsession but also hopefully made you realise and worry that I /would/ let bad things happen to the characters, and I've been getting a lot of 'but I never know with you' throughout so I'm guessing that worked ;)_

_Basically this whole flipping fanfic has just been a prequel and build up to this last chapter, and was intended to make you all think he /was/ going to kill her, because, actually, that's what should have happened and certainly would have happened if it hadn't been for her having the one thing to throw at him capable of snapping him out of his obsession with her. _

_Sooo…I bloody hope it all worked out and paid off! _

_Now please, tell me what I want to hear…surprised? Shocked? A descent Grand Finale? Like it???_

_I bloody hope you do, I really really hope you do because I do. I've built the whole story up to this and I'm /very/ proud of this ending XD _

_Did you see the Final Scene similarities? No? Ahhh…fail then - I tried LOL. _

_I'm probably going to get quite a bit of 'sequel???' so will say here: I don't know yet. I've considered it, I have some ideas and stuff… actually I would absolutely love to continue this and write another multi-chap like PA starting from pretty much where this left off…but I don't know I'm kind of thinking maybe I should let well enough alone and leave this storyline now…sad as that would make me. Idk. I have another multi-chapter Sweenett in the works anyway that I think I've mentioned before that I want to get going. _

_But I'm not sure what I'll do yet, I wouldn't mind thoughts and opinions. _

_But for now…I will see you all on __**Christmas Eve**__, cause I have a special present for you! Don't forget, Christmas eve, I promise ;)_

_And that's all really, sorry my A/N was so long LOL, all that's left to say is huuuge massive thank yous to each and every one of you who has reviewed this and kept me going, spurred me on and encouraged me, like I said with PA you have no idea how much your words mean to me, it makes me happier than you can imagine to know my writing is being enjoyed. _

_I love you all, huge hugs, meat pies, gin, the lot ;) And I shall see you all on Christmas Eve!!_

_**x x x**_


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